Crikey.

I am inexplicably filled with sorrow at the death of Steve Irwin. I suppose, i mourn more than anything the loss of a sncere and gentle person in entertainment. With Mel and his DUI rants, and Tom Cruise's parade of the bizzare, it was heartening to see someone who's celebrity was nothing but a hat he would put on and take off at leisure. His love of living things was not concocted, and his excitement was so genuine, that it was often overwhelming. Three episodes of the Croc Hunter wil forever stick out in my mind:

The first. was Steve in my native Colorado, squaling with delight at finding a nest of rattlers. Anyone who has hiked even a little, knows how terrifying ONE is, and this lunatic dove headfirst into a nest of about thirty ratlle snakes.

The second was the episode when Steve's dog "Suey" had to be put to sleep. It was heart-wrenching, and Steve walked everyone through each agonizing step, as he said goodbye to his best friend. He ended the episode with a gentle reminder to everyone, about how wonderfl Suey was and what a great life she had led, then with tears in his eyes, he said"Crikey, Death is natural but it can be hard to take."

I'm welling up.

Lastly was this episode. Was there ever a more gentle, sweet man? Who weeps for a one-ton dragon? Who has it in them to look at that thing, and see beyond the teeth and the killer instinct? The world is a bit harder without him.