"Everything I know about life I learned accidentally while trying to escape it." - Pavel Malkowski

Paul was really Pavel - a polish immigrant who came to the United States when he was not quite ten years old - and it took me six months to learn that about him. For me, Paul was always Pavel. He had the Eastern European black humor, a dry wit which slashed mercilessly at the silly world around him, and so being just Paul would never do. He needed that secret old name.

Paul and I "suffered" through school together, commiserated over bullshit academics, bemoaned the impending loss of our hair and competed to see who had the better vocabulary (that's me, picking on the immigrant). I turned him onto the idea of lifting weights during his sophomore year of college and the notion appealed to his genetics. Paul took the classic AE article "Extreme Eating" and elevated it to almost religious levels. He gained 30 pounds in a summer and astonished everyone as he went from quiet detached Paul to massive detached Paul.

Like most lifters, Paul had demons. In the years after we graduated, many nights were spent on instant messenger chatting about the world, ourselves, our failings and our dreams. Paul had so much to offer and so much kindness and "light", but he had a strong tragic streak. In the end, Paul left us, but not before capturing his thoughts, feelings and talents in some writings.

As friends of Paul, we are honored to share his words with you. - Grendel