A King's Life - Part 3

Hey All,

As the 80" continued, Rex and I continued our friendship, but since he was living in Hollywood (Florida..totally fitting for him) and I lived about 20 miles away in Lauderdale Lakes, we did not get to see each other as often as before. We would still speak often. I was working for a travel company named Flyfaire Vacations and as always Rex was playing the starving artist. He would have a job here and a job there, even though he was totally qualified for any job, His yearning to be a "Star" prevented him from taking long term jobs.

Rex was always a bit of a man of mystery. He was very careful with the information that he gave to people about his past or his family. Over the years I had gotten him to give up bits and pieces of his past (usually when he was in an altered state). The first thing I learned was that Rex King was not his original name (really what mother would name your child King King, since Rex is King in Latin). Over the years Rex used many different middle names...the most unusual being Rex Solarexus Universon King....enuf said,,,I told you he was unique! I learned the he had been in the Army during Vietnam and was part of the USO. I learned that Rex was born in NYC and had a horrible relationship with his Mother. He had been married and had one child who they named Christian. He was divorced and had not seen his child in many years. He said his child was a handsome 4 year old who told Rex to go out in the world and find himself, which is what did. Of course this was all told to me by Rex... He often did exaggerate. He had not had any contact with anyone from his family at that time for over 10-15 years. He often said that he hoped that his son might look for him some day.

One day Rex called me and I drove down to Hollywood to treat him for lunch at Wendy's. Rex had been a bit nervous. He had gone for an HIV test and had been waiting for the results. He had tested negative about six months prior, but was apprehensive about this one. While eating I asked if he had gotten the results and he said yes, they were positive...my heart sank, but he was so strong about it, I was going to be strong too. He had an appointment with a Dr at the Veteran's Hospital, luckily his care was all taken care of by the VA. Life went on, but deep in my heart I both worried about his health, his lack of funds and the possibility of losing my best friend.

When I had checked into the Eating Disorder Clinic, Rex was so supportive even coming to some of the therapy sessions with me. Now Rex's diagnosis was one of the issues that I was dealing with. He was very upset when he found out that I had talked about him in group therapy, he did not understand how his status effected me. I tried to explain, but he was so scared that people would find out. The late 80's were full of ignorance and hysteria about Aids.

Our friendship started to falter because he felt I betrayed him. We would argue, and then not speak for months at a time. I worried and missed him, but I was also going through my own severe depression.

The company I worked for went bankrupt, I was on unemployment. I'm not sure who called who, but we eventually started talking again. He had just filmed a role in a Burt Reynold's TV show called B.L. Stryker...Had little money, but was getting help from his talent manager. He said his legs were bothering him..something called neuropathy (something I would learn a great deal about in later years). Now over the years, if Rex would need something, I would loan him the money. It was really money I couldn't afford to give, but that's what friends do. He would sometimes come and clean up my apartment as my housekeeping lacked big time. One day we were talking and Rex was saying that he didn't want to do any work as an extra anymore. An extra is a person in the background of films. He wanted only big roles. Now at that time he had been offered over $200.00 a day to be an extra and he refused it. I blew up, He was eating crackers with ketchup, he was getting thinner, he wasn't taking care of himself and yes, very selfishly, He could work one day to pay me back some of the money he owed me. I told him it was getting too hard to be his friend and I hung up the phone.

I'm really not sure how many months went by, but I had just started a new job at Macy's. The phone rang, A woman's voice asked to speak to Richard, I responded that was me. She said that she was calling from the Veteran's Hospital....My heart immediately sank. Mr. Rex King had you on his contact list and I'm sorry to inform you that he has passed away. You and one other person, a woman named Elva are the only two people on his contact list. There is no next of kin and we need one of you to approve an autopsy and to decide on burial. She gave me Elva's number and that was the end of the call. The date was March 12, 1990 ... 20 years ago today.

My life was thrown into a whirlwind. I felt so guilty, I let stupid little things and money come between my friend and I. I felt I had totally let down my friend and abandoned him when he needed me the most. How could Rex King die, he was so much bigger than life. I contacted Elva, She had been taking care of him and basically told me it was my turn. She told me that she trusted my decisions. I cried all night and went to work in the morning in tears. I left work soon after to go meet his landlord/manager at Rex's house. Now the biggest problem that I had was that none of Rex's friend knew each other. Most never knew he was sick. Over the next week a few friend and I cleaned out his house each taking meaningful trinkets. We donated his clothing to the local Aids charity. we agreed that if an autopsy could be helpful to other, that it should be done. I met with the funeral home. fortunately Rex was a veteran and would be buried in the Florida National Cemetery. I believed he wanted to be cremated and his ashes spread onto the ocean at sunrise, but only a blood relative could authorize that, and I had no clue who or where they were. His agent planned an informal memorial at her house. The fascinating part of that evening was that each person knew a different Rex King. He had been a chameleon, adapting to each person he knew. I was not financially able to go to the funeral. I did everything I could to put Rex to rest. I still never got to say goodbye and to apologize to him for being a brat. I still think sometimes that he will just walk in my door.

Rex was now part of the Universe and he is now and will always be a Star. My next journey was to search for his family, I will write about that in the next blog. One of the best things that Rex taught me was that energy never dies, when someone passes, their energy is simply passed to those who knew them. Rex lives on in all the people he touched and loved. He taught me so much about life and for that I will love and miss him forever. I have no doubt that it was Rex and my Mother pushing me back to life 2 years ago. I hope he would be proud of who I am today. He is always in my mind and in my heart.

So be Loving, Be giving and as Rex always said...Be Superb!
R

1947-1990