Ramond Taavel and I flunked many of the same courses at Ontario Bible College. When the snoring got to be too much I would take my mattress, then knock on Ray's door. When he answered, I would throw the mattress on the floor and sleep there.
Ray was leader of The Young Liberals. He would go to a small room on the main floor and make long-distance calls on a black telephone. It looked to me like herding cats but Ray loved it. I have no doubt that he was a crackerjack advocating for LGBT rights.
Ray also loved long, lingering hugs. I got fed up with them after a while, and pushed him away.
I remember exactly where I was when I first heard of Ray Taavel's killing. This was on CBC Radio and I was driving north, keeping the car on the road. When I got home I phoned an old OBC friend and told him the news. "Ray Taavel?" he said. "How'd you stay on the road?"
It wasn't easy. I gather since then Raymond Taavel has become something of a cause célèbre. The Ray I remember knew how to have a good laugh.
He was fond of quoting Benny Hill — "Just stick that in your ear and give it a tinkle!"
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