Back in 1993, one of the first handles I chose was Baron Samedi. The question I've been asked the most is just where did I get my handle from? Did I chose Baron Samedi from a video game? Or maybe I play that board game, Nightmare. James Bond, that's it. I got my handle from the movie Live And Let Die. Or maybe it's just French, and I'm trying to let people know I'm a major party animal on Saturday nights.
I'm sorry to say, but all these are wrong. I've never played any sort of game, be it card, board, or video, with a character named Baron Samedi in it. Live And Let Die is probably my favorite James Bond film, true, but I never knew the character's name until much later. And as for Saturday nights, you don't want to know what I do. It's pretty sad, and usually involves my plants.
So just where did I get the name Baron Samedi?
In 1986, William Gibson released the sequel to his best-known book Neuromancer. This new book was called Count Zero. In it, one of the heroes, Bobby Newmark AKA Count Zero, runs into an artificial intelligence on the net, and the AI's name is Baron Samedi. The AI looks over Bobby, saves his ass a few times, and eventually cleans up a messy situation. The character stuck out more than anything else I've read, so I borrowed the name.
However, there's more to the story. The more I learned about the real Baron Samedi, the more I realized just how appropriate it was for me. Baron Samedi is the vodoun god of the graveyard. He's also the Guardian of the Dead. The best comparison are the valkyries of Norse mythology. If you are good hearted and a decent person, Baron Samedi will look after you when you die. But if you're spiteful, and take advantage of people, and worse of all, disrespect the dead, Baron Samedi will come for you, and it won't be pretty.
So in a sense, I became Baron Samedi. I want to look after the dead. I want to make sure that they're okay, and I want to do everything within my power for them. And not just the dead, but the living. For me, using the name Baron Samedi means that if someone I care about needs me, I'll be there as best I can.I will not again wait until someone has died before I show that I care.
Right now, I'm looking over two souls. The first is my cousin, who died of cancer when I was young. Too young to do much, if anything, but that doesn't stop me from doing what I can now. The second is Miranda, who should never have died so young.
I've lost a hell of a lot by using the name Baron Samedi. I lost a year of school from it. I lost my first true love from it. I've lost too many nights of sleep from it. So why do I keep the name? Because I've gained too much. I know that I'm trying my best for people. I know that I care. And most of all, part of me knows that Miranda and Dominique are okay. And I won't forget, least of all.
