Allston-Brighton is a neighborhood pretty far away from us, in Boston terms. I used to make the trip over there quite frequently, in a life past, to Gordon Street where Brian Honan lived.

If Tennyson is right, that we are a part of all we have met, I have yet another thing to be grateful for; Brian Honan shall always be a part of me.

At his remarkable funeral service, as his brother Kevin presented a eulogy befitting a king, I began to think how sad it was you never got to know him.

When he started his campaign for Suffolk County District Attorney, one of his main focuses was our neighborhood, because he knew if he won your hearts he would cross that finish line in September first.

So he came, months ago. He gave out pens at Patty's, at Greenhills, in Uphams and Fields Corners; and when he ran out of pens he started giving out the dreaded emery boards. You never turned around at a Dorchester event in the last eight months without Brain being there.

The last official campaign act I did for Brian was meet him at Columbia Station with Eric Donovan and Doug Bosse for a morning stand out. I showed up an hour late, as they were leaving. "Ooops, I'm sorry, I forgot," I said sheepishly as I assisted helping them pack up, and he answered with a customary wise crack, that I would give the world to remember, and then he flashed his trademark smile.

How hard Eric Donovan worked coordinating his motley crew over here. If you have any experience coordinating an all-volunteer army in the middle of summer, you're picking up what I'm putting down.

I screeched when Eric put up my house sign, I thought they paled in comparison to Dan Conley's. A flurry of phone calls back and forth and Dorchester was going independent, we were getting our own house signs. "DORCHESTER FOR BRIAN HONAN." they would be bold, worthy and better.

"Bobby Madden is killing us on Galivan Boulevard" we reported to Brian.

"I know, isn't Bobby Madden the best," Brian said.

The Dorchester Committee to Elect Brain Honan District Attorney is in a "collective brow of woe." We are mourning the loss of never being able to hear Brian's music in its full symphony. The orchestra had been gathered, through years of hard work, and always doing the right thing. Each instrument had the notes in front of it and was ready to play. What sadness, and disturbance to be quickly ushered out of the hall only hearing notes of rehearsal, knowing you are exiting way to early, wanting to scream to some one in authority, "Hey what's going on here?"

Some of you did get to know him. Aren't ya glad? That house I so bitterly complained about, now adorned with a black bow, is the finest house sign I have ever seen, and the one I know I will always be the proudest of having put up.

I'm waiting for Eric's next call. I know it will be coming, what the marching orders will be, I have no idea. I'm too sad to think about them right now, but I'll tell you this: I'm in.