Terry’s Hall of Fame
This HOF speech is a tribute to one of the strongest quitters to ever grace the halls of KTC. This speech is coming over 1500 days past his Hall of Fame milestone. Tstahr never wrote a HOF speech, we’re not sure why he didn’t, he always said he was going to but he didn’t. My guess is he didn’t want to tell us about his struggles in life even though they truly serve as an inspiration.
Imagine if you will having your brother, your father and your uncle all die from ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease and now you are having symptoms. You chew tobacco, you’ve been doing it since your junior year in high school and now inside you know there is no way to escape. What are your thoughts? Is there a reason to quit? I mean you are going to die either way…
On January 10th 2012 a 45 year old former Marine made the decision to quit chewing tobacco even though he knew what his prognosis was. He didn’t want to fight this addiction while fighting for his life. He didn’t want to be drooling chew juices for his family to have to clean up. He didn’t want to be a slave any longer.
Early in his quit, Tstahr was just like you and I, he was going to work and living an active life like you and I. He knew what was coming and he didn’t say anything about it to anyone. He was in chat in the evenings hanging with all of the shenanigans that went on in there. He never wanted his quit to be about the ALS.
Tstahr had drifted away for awhile when he could no longer type to post roll but soon technology and some generous people provided Tstahr with an eye gazer computer that allowed him to type by moving his eyes and the computer would track it. He posted roll just 2 days ago and passed away last night, he posted roll most every day since getting the eye gazer set-up.
Tstahr was part of a tight knit group known as the Glass House of April 2012, one of the ISI (Inner Sanctum of Insanity) One of the reasons I personally was able to remain quit with his support.
Tstahr’s Narrative
Coach Steve pulls his Hyundai Sonata onto 2012 HOF Group Avenue and immediately sees
the line of cars parked outside the Glass House of April 2012. CS finds a spot in front of the May
2012 house and as he locks the doors he hears a familiar voice…
Zam: [tending the garden] Well hello my fellow HOF Conductor
CS: Hey buddy, how are things lately?
Zam: [holding up a plastic bag] Oh you know the usual, Z got drunk and took a dump in
the garden again
CS: Again? Is he still mad about the Wild losing?
Zam: Hah! Probably…so you headed over to the Glass House?
CS: Yeah
Zam: [standing up and brushing off his knees] I’ll be over in a bit after I shower. If you
see Z tell him I said FUZ
CS: I always do
{CS walked towards the Glass House and noticed some of the cars parked along 2012 HOF
Group Avenue. Gmann’s pink VW rabbit was parked with one tire on the curb next to NOLAQ’s
Ford Explorer. Just then, CS heard the familiar creak of a rocking chair emanating from the front
porch of the July 2012 house…}
CS: [shading his eyes from the afternoon sun] Is someone there?
Cmark: It’s only me Coach
{CS looks up and sees Cmark sitting on the front porch sipping iced tea and knitting
something pink}
CS: [gesturing to the pink knitting] Is that for Gmann?
Cmark: Hah! That’s a good one Coach! No this is for one of the new babies in the maternity
ward
CS: That’s good, it’s probably too establishment for Gmann
Cmark: Whatever you say Coach!
{CS continued down the Avenue past the decaying Newbs Playground where CS used to
connect the old with the new…at least until Jpine showed up. The carousel creaked and
groaned as it turned in the wind, as if some invisible force was pushing it. The playground was
chained off and a sign hung from the chain. CS brushed the dirt from the sign to reveal “Closed
for Renovations, the MODs.” “More like, MODifications, CS chortled to himself.” Just then, CS
heard a rustling in the overgrown bushes surrounding the old playground}
CS: [slowly walking towards the noice] Is someone there? I can hear you breathing…
{Just then, Luby aka Peepers poked his head out from the bushes}
CS: Peeps you scared the shit out of me…
Peepers: Sorry Coach, I just wanted to see if I was still sneaky
CS: Oh you’re about as sneaky as a fart in a plastic chair
Peepers: [wiping his brow] Phew! I thought I’d lost the sneakiness. You know its been
awhile since I made it into one of your narratives
CS: My what?
Peepers: You know Coach, narrative…like the one we’re in right now
CS: [looking around startled] You mean right now?
Peepers: Uh…yeah Coach, aren’t you writing this as we speak?
CS: Peepers I think you’ve spent too much time in camera stands by yourself
Peepers: [furrowing his brow] So…we’re not in a narrative right now?
CS: Dude I have no clue what you’re talking about…
{Somewhere in the distance the May 2016 HOF Train whistled as it approached its next stop
to pick up a newly minted HOFer}
Peepers: Wait…so what was that?
CS: What was what?
Peepers: [pointing at CS] You just said something about a HOF train as if you’re
narrating something
CS: Ok Peeps, I’m starting to get worried about you
Peepers: I’m starting to get worried about myself…anyways, you headed to the Glass House
for Terry?
CS: Yep, you wanna come along?
Peepers: I stopped by earlier to pay my respects…but now I’ve got more peeping to do!
{Peepers pretends a throw a smoke bomb and says “Poof!” as he covers himself with his
cape and runs behind the bushes}
CS: I can still see you
Peepers: No you can’t
CS: Ok Peeps, we’ll see ya later
{CS continues down 2012 HOF Group Avenue and nearly stumbles over a broken piece of
wood}
CS: [bending down to pick up the broken wood] Holy crap it’s my old soapbox!
{Just then, BigWhiteBeast turned his big white truck onto 2012 HOF Group Avenue and
nearly side swiped Gmann’s rabbit. He came to a screeching halt in front of CS and ERDVM
leaned out of the passenger window}
ERDVM aka Vadge: Well hello my fellow ghey
BigWhiteBeast aka BWB: That term is offensive Vadge
Vadge: [looking back at BWB] Your face is offensive
BWB: [rolling his eyes] This coming from the guy who looks at animal butts all day
Vadge: That cuts me deep Beasty
BWB: [taking a bite of a Slim Jim] Whatever butt doctor. Hey Coach, you wanna ride to
the Glass House or what?
CS: [climbing into the bed] Don’t mind if I do
{BWB peels out and takes out NOLAQ’s driver side mirror before running over February
2012’s mailbox and coming to a rest on the lawn}
CS: You know Beast, we did have a valet set up for the event [pointing towards Hipster
who is leaning on the valet table watching the Minnesota Twins on a fuzzy screened 90’s style
mini-TV with rabbit ears]
BWB: Like hell I’m going to let Hip drive my rig
Vadge: [climbing out of the cab] Oh so it’s a rig now?
BWB: Shut up
{CS, BWB, and Vadge stroll across February 2012’s lawn and stroll past Mcarmo sitting in a
lawn chair}
Mcarmo: You guys can’t find a better parking space?
BWB: I don’t see any no parking signs
Mcarmo: It’s kind of implied that you don’t just park on someone else’s lawn
Vadge: Be careful Beast, BSD is February 2012’s lawyer
BWB: And we’ve got our own lawyer right Coach?
CS: Nope….alternate reality, I’m a Coach in this life
Mcarmo: But BSD is still a lawyer…how does that work?
CS: My narrative, my rules
{Just then, Peepers poked his head out of the bushes in front of February 2012}
Peepers: I thought you said this wasn’t a narrative!
CS: [exaggerated eye roll] Oh Peepers
{queue 1970’s sitcom laugh track as Peepers slowly recoils back into the bushes}
BWB: Hey is that Klark’s Nissan Leaf?
Vadge: I think it is…does he really have to plug it into our outlet?
CS: Nevermind that, we have visitors
{The quitters look towards the front yard of the Glass House of April 2012 and see a line of
quitters stretching around the block. CS sees Wastepanel, J2B, Razd, Chewie, Flash, Rocketman,
and several others mingling on the front lawn}
BWB: Are they here for Terry?
CS: They must be
{Just then, Cbird walks out of the front door to address the crowd}
Cbird: Friends, thank you for coming today, Terry would have been honored to know you
came to pay your respects
{Just then, Cbird sees CS, Vadge, and BWB}
Cbird: Guys! Where in the hell have you been? Texasjack (aka TJ) is a mess and refuses to put
his pants on
CS: And that’s a surprise?
Cbird: I guess not…
Vadge: Don’t worry guys, I know how to get his pants on [Vadge walks into the Glass
House]
BWB: Is that because you always take them off?
Vadge: Shut up Beast
{CS, Vadge, BWB make their way into the foyer of the Glass House. IRISH, Dethan, Blue, Bren,
and KGirl are sitting in the living room and TJ is curled up in a ball with his head on IRISH’s
lap}
IRISH: [adjusting his leprechaun hat] It’s about time you guys showed up, I’m not sure
how much more of this I can take
Dethan: Yeh, I feckin thought we’d be going at it alone
CS: Ok yeah so we’re here…is this all of us other than Ranger5?
Vadge: Not if you count Dennis and 2score
TJ: What about that Crockett guy?
Vadge: What about your pants?
TJ: What about my pants?
Vadge: You’re not wearing any!
TJ: And…
Vadge: [shaking his head] I give up
CS: Seriously though pants or no pants who can forget Crockett!?
IRISH: Or Auburn…where the hell is Auburn?
Dethan: I don’t know but he left those feckin Moustache Ride posters all over his room
Kgirl: Moustache rides?
BWB: Don’t ask?
Kgirl: I suppose you’re right, carry on gents
Blue: Ok guys, since I’m the only guy in the Glass House that spends his time preaching and
shit I suggest we play Terry’s video and then let the quitters lined up outside pay their
respects
{Cbird sets up the projector and the Glass House quitters gather in the living room as Terry
pops onto the video screen wearing a shirt that says “Cbird = pussy”}
Tstahr: Hey guys, thanks for gathering here today and if you’re watching this then I’m already
gone. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you guys for checking in with me periodically.
In fact, I remember when BWB reached out to me and I told him, “Hey Tim. Don’t feel bad
about asking. I have been battling ALS for a while. I started showing a weakness in my right leg
in 2009. It forced me to retire from my volunteer fire dept and eventually from my engineering
job. I was formally diagnosed in 2012. ALS is in my family. I lost my dad, sister, aunt and cousin
to it so I have a clear idea what my future looks like. I am confined to a wheelchair and still have
use of my left arm and hand. I am still pretty independent at home. The VA has been wonderful
and has taken good care of us. One thing I am proud of was quitting tobacco. Didn’t want to die
that way. Thanks for your help with that Beasty.”
BWB: {wiping a single tear from his eye} That’s a true story.
Tstahr: Oh and Tim, don’t be afraid to show your feminine side more often
BWB: Haha! Wait…what?
Tstahr: Anyways, moving on to the Glass House, what would I do without you guys and gal? I
remember somewhere around Day 52 I was really struggling and I posted this on March 2,
2012, “I don’t know guys. When I started this journey 52 days ago, I don’t think I was totally
committed to quitting. I wanted too for a multitude of reasons but I wasn’t convinced I could do
it. I took me a while of posting everyday and learning what that meant. Reading, learning and
being held accountable is what is keeping me going. I assumed this site was a gimmick and
there was a skuzzy little IT guy generating all the content. I wasn’t sure my quit would work. I
still don’t. All I know is I posted roll this morning and made a promise to you and me not to dip
today. No more, no less. Don’t know what will happen tomorrow and don’t care what
happened yesterday but you got my word today. All I can say April is, you complete me.”
TJ: I love it when Terry waxes poetic
Tstahr: Oh and TJ, put your pants on
TJ: How did he…? I’m so confused
Vadge: I mean even if he was just guessing there is a 90% probability that you are not wearing
pants at any given time
TJ: True
Tstahr: There was another time that stuck out during the early days with the Glass House and
I remember posting about it on March 30, 2012, “So I owe you guys and explanation of what
happened today and the power and support of the site. I am not the eloquent storyteller like
Coach Steve or the magical wordsmith like Crocket, so please bear with me. I will refrain from
using any emoticons. Today was like most of my plain days. Coffee, 65 mile commute, emails,
project deadlines, staff issues, blah, blah, blah. Today I took a couple of my guys to lunch at the
local brewery for beer and fish n chip. Food was good, servers were tasty and the pitcher of
beer almost triggered a cave. I picked up the check, said later to the guys and sat in my car for
over 5 minutes contemplating picking up a can of chew. I passed several C-stores on the way
home and almost stopped to grab a Big Gulp. But I kept on truckin. When I got home I decided
to pull a Crockett and get permission. I was a fucking genious. Excitedly I grabbed my phone and
texted Coach Steve my request. Just one can of cope pouches. Any hard core dipper knows
pouches and bandits are for pussies and isn’t really chewing. Coach immediately texts “ARE
YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?” Not the response I was looking for. Crap. I need to think. So I head off
to the ‘thinking room’. Thinking…my phone rings and its Coach. Shit, he is actually calling. The
KTC thing is about posting roll, PMing, live chat and texting. I didn’t think we talked to each
other. This is new territory for me. I answered. It was a mans voice (some may have wondered),
slight southern accent and kind of sexy. So Coach starts in on me. It was good. We talked, we
laughed, cried a little. Then Coach hits the alarm and my phone and email starts to blowup.
Talked with Cbird, PTW and got texts from vadge, beast, DSL, texasjack, PM’s. I was amazed and
surprised by the immediate support from you guys. I want to thank you guys. Those of us in
April are getting close to our first milestone or goal of 100 days quit. I am excited as hell for
Hipster, Newday and Blue. We are getting pretty confident and maybe a little cocky. And maybe
a little complacent. And the nic bitch pounced on me. Snuck up and goosed me from behind. I
thought I had this quit thing. I had to be reminded that I am an addict. So I reaffirm my promise
to quit with all you badass quitters. Thanks for all the support and sorry for the drama. Let’s get
back to this quit.
CS: [wiping tears away] I remember that day vividly
Tstahr: So guys and gals of the Glass House, just remember how much you guys meant to me
and keep on quitting like fuck!
{Cbird switches off the projector and the Glass House quitters sit in silence for a few
minutes}
Blue: Does anybody else want to say something before we let in the other quitters?
Vadge: I can’t remember anything specific with Terry. We had a lot laughs in late night chat. I
remember he called one evening while I was at work. Out of the blue. I was busy AF and
stressed to the hilt. We talked about nothing and everything in a span of less than 5 minutes.
He just wanted to say Hi. At the end of the conversation, I was refocused and less stressed.
Nothing supernatural, just felt better like everyone does when you know someone cares. Like
all of us, Terry came through the suck and allowed his quit to change him. We all grew up some,
we all became a little more tolerant, and we all learned how to be honest. Those are great
things in my book. That’s what I remember about Terry.
Cbird: Thanks Kent, well guys and gal, I think it’s time
{The Glass House quitters line up in the foyer as the group of quitters from throughout KTC
Land pay their respects for Terry…except Gmann, who came for the moustache rides}
NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member TStahr
