GENE RODDENBERRY'S CHESS SET

I has it.  I think.
The story is a long one, but in true gossip style, it's too good not to share.  It starts off in high school where I had a friend named Keith.  We were big Trekkies together, but a few years after graduation, he moved back to Arizona where he originally was from, and I figured contact would be lost.  About ten years later though, there's a knock at the door.  It's Keith.  Apparently he and his roommate (who worked as a phone psychic) got into a knife fight over a pizza.  Since Keith was the one holding the knife when the cops stormed in, he's the one who gets to go to prison.  He's decided to go on the run.   "Do you know what they do to gay men in prison?"  he blurts out.  "Get into the car, I'm taking you to the bus station."  I reply.

(Disclaimer.  I have nothing against lifestyle choices.  It's just when your high school chum shows you his photo album and mentions that "He overdosed, he committed suicide, that one was murdered, that one's in prison and I hustle for drugs."  you get the feeling that you've grown apart over the years.)


Needless to say, Keith got caught and served his time, plus a few.  While he's away, he writes letters to Star Trek cast and crew.  A member of the production crew replies, and when Keith gets out, he joins him in L.A.  They break up a little while later when Keith accuses him of being the one behind the cancellation of the FASA  Star Trek license.  (That, and "Hey, my ten years younger friend and weightlifting buddy Armando is getting out of prison.  Mind if he crashed here a while?"  For a guy who lived on the street, Keith can be pretty dim at times.)

Anyway, I guess as a petty way of hurting him, this person calls Keith and says that Gene Roddenberry has died and they are giving away his stuff to friends and family, and Keith can be his guest and grab whatever he wants.  When they pull up to the house though, he turns to Keith and says "Oh, by the way, all the Star Trek stuff was yesterday.  Today is just household goods."  Keith replies, "Hide and watch, f**."

Told me he found a whole car trunk full of stuff and picked up Gene Roddenberry's travel chess set on the way out.

About a year ago, Keith got back in contact with me on a Star Trek board.  He told me he was clean and sober and doing well enough that he was counseling others and wanted to send me Gene Roddenberry's chess set as a way of thanking me.  Not really sure what for.  Possibly my Vulcanian response to him telling me secrets I wasn't ready to hear.

Anyway, I might have Gene Roddenberry's Chess Set.  Let's celebrate with song.