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I no longer recall the details, but it was on a late-night talk show, probably in the 80’s, where a comedian pulled out a ten-spot and asked, “Why is Gene Wilder on Canada’s $10 bill?”  I’ve never forgotten that.

Had someone told me last month that Gene Wilder was 83, I would have wagered a week’s pay, confident in the knowledge that there was no way he was that old.  I would have bypassed Google and Siri, basking in certainty, assure of my conviction.

And I would have lost.

When did this happen?

Have I been asleep, adrift in a self-induced coma, or perhaps embracing the early stages of dementia?  It’s hard to fathom that Gene Wilder reached 83 years of age, before departing this earth.

My first recollection of Gene was watching Blazing Saddles on the big screen as a kid.  I’ve never forgotten the magic and wonder of being surrounded by belly laughing adults, basking in their cigarette…