Old friends

The other day I found my very old address book (not the digital one, a real book I bought twenty some years ago). There were many name that I could hardly recall but also some familar but not in contact since long time ago. I was just curious about what they're up to. I started some keyword search on internet. Of course, most didn't return with any result but I did got updated with a few. Two died already. A painter died in 1999 and a theatre educator 3 years ago. Sad but not too surprised.
I remember it was in Palermo in 1991. Painter Marco was only an aquaintence of my friend. I only got his phone no and tried to call him hoping for free lodging! But he forgot my friend! However, he said since I got his no. and name, I should be a friend!. I ended up staying in his place for 9 days. We talked a lot and hanged around with his friends but did nothing. I recalled he never drank water, but only beer(dark) & wine.
Alan the educator has already looked quite old when he was only 40 something when I met him in 1992. I didn't know him in the beginning and visited him in London with a common friend. He was intellegent with certain elegance, maybe some kind of British gentleman-like. He's very open however and it' very nice to talk to him. We kept writing each other for almost half a year. When I came back to Hong Kong, I still received another 4 or 5 Christmas cards from him.