I met Etienne in college in 1976, and our friendship blossomed in 1977. His grandparents had immigrated from Sweden. He was born in 1957 and was taken to the Lord in 2009. During the entire time I knew him at college, 1976-79, I never saw him wear any sort of denim. He favored more "dressy" trousers (although I do not know what the fabric was). He always wore semi-sheer socks, and did not mind to slip his shoes off at any time---with or without request. During the worst illness at college that I ever experienced, a flu that kept me in bed for a week in January, 1977, he brought beverages to me, along with meals (most of which I could not eat), checked with my classes for homework, sat with me when I was alone in the room, and recruited a pre-med student to monitor my temperature and blood pressure.
During January through June of 1978, both of us were afflicted by our own existential crises; and I, being incredibly immature and self-centered, failed to try to help him during his. I failed---failed miserably---in the obligations of friendship. I should have loved him as he deserved; instead, I was too cowardly, to bound by inhibitions, and societal expectations, to "get involved."
Since 1975, I have always loved the way the singer, Roger Whitaker, pronounced the word, "England," in his song "The Last Farewell." Because Swedening's family lived in New England, I decided to mention it with Whitaker's pronunciation of the second word in mind.
