this should really be in “i hate dc” column. if you would like to keep your BYT lite today-skip it-ed
I’m not sure how I became the official obituary writer for BYT, but it appears I am. The guy I am writing about isn’t famous. Perhaps 10 people in DC will ever have met him. I only met him once, briefly, Friday night at the Black Cat, where he was working his very first shift.
After work that night he walked home to a friend’s house where he was staying.
He was from Bakersfield, CA..
On his fifth or sixth night (forgive me, I don’t know the specifics), after he worked his first and only shift at the Black Cat and he was walking home to a friend’s house where he was staying he was confronted by a man with a pistol who proceeded to rob him of a miniscule amount of money (and it was truly miniscule) and then pistol whipped him.
Now what I heard, was that after he was pistol whipped a gang of local hooligans took advantage of the situation and further beat him. I don’t know if this is true. The Washington Post reports that “[i]n a telephone interview last night, Joseph Savage said his son called him early yesterday morning and told him the assailants had “pistol-whipped him a little bit, handcuffed him and put him in a dumpster.” They took his wallet, cell phone and passport, Savage said. Savage said his son was in Washington for a job interview with a nightclub.”
Sometime after that phone call to his father, Christopher J. Savage died in his sleep. His roommates (whom I also won’t name but if you know them then you know the story) found him dead the next morning.
Chris had been in D.C. for five days.
Now Chris is dead because someone wanted to steal whatever money he had (and when I said miniscule, I mean it).
Most of you reading this don’t know Chris. Now you never will. I met him briefly, and exchanged a few sentences with him. He seemed like a good guy. The friends he was staying with I know are good people and were helping him out get started in D.C. I trust their judgment that he was a good guy. But I will never know for certain. Neither will you.
For less than the price of a lunchtime meal Chris Savage was beaten and died on his fifth or sixth night in D.C.
Now it may seem strange to be writing about someone whom I didn’t know, and had only exchanged a few sentences with. I mean tens of thousands of people die every day and no one writes about them, but what struck me was that I had just spoken to him and a few hours later he was dead. What struck me was that he had done nothing wrong. What struck me was that I’d been in D.C. and have only been assaulted twice (once stabbed in the shoulder, whereupon I proceeded to fight the guy until other people showed up and he and his friends took off, and once some kids threw a brick while I was walking my dog.) I’ve never been robbed while walking about D.C. and I’ve been here a decade. Chris had been here five days. I guess I was lucky? I guess he wasn’t?
So then on Sunday I was reading “Falconer” by John Cheever and came across a passage that struck me about the randomness and absurdity of it all. In it the protagonist is heading to Falconer Prison on a bus when someone starts talking:
“I hear they have a ball team and if I can play ball I’ll be all right. Just so long as I can pitch a game I’ll stay alive,” he said. “If I can play ball that’ll be enough for me. I never know the score, though. That’s the way I pitch. The year before last I pitched a no-hitter for North Edmonston and I didn’t know about it until I come off the mound and heard everybody yelling. And I never got laid free, never once. I paid anywhere from fifty cents to fifty dollars, but I never once shot a lump for free. I guess that’s like not knowing the score. Nobody every give it to me willingly. I know hundreds of men, not so good-looking as me, who get it for nothing all the time, but I never got it once, not once, for nothing. I just wish I had it free, once.”
And it made me wonder what Chris had wished for, just once, that he never will get the chance to have.
RIP Christopher J. Savage.
First off, condolences to Chris’ family and friends. It sounds like he had a lot to look forward to after moving out here. I’m sure he would’ve grown to love the DC scene as I have (been here a year now) but the random violence gives our fair city a bad rep. Seriously, five days? Yes, this kind of tragedy can happen anywhere, but there’s a reason why some of my friends are still afraid to come out to Shaw, U, Columbia Heights or Adams Morgan and walk alone at night.
April 21, 2008 at 4:20 pmWhile this is still a tragedy and news that indeed makes me sad, this article clears up the incident a little bit more. His unfortunate death might have nothing to do with his mugging — http://www.wtopnews.com/?sid=1390643&nid=25
April 21, 2008 at 4:23 pmI knew Chris for more than 20 years, and let me tell you that he was one of the wittiest indivduals you would have ever met. Chris was a stand up guy and will be dearly missed by a great number of friends here in Bakersfield, also his family will miss him tremendously. If you did not ever have the chance to meet or have Chris in your life you certainly missed out. Rest in Peace Brother
April 21, 2008 at 4:37 pmthat is interesting. and it is very sad to hear this. over 2 years ago, a man that had also just moved to dc and lived in my old building was shot and killed while walking his dog on irving st in mt p. this does seem to happen from time to time. but i think it’s part of living in a city and just being aware of your surroundings.
i dont think there is any reason to be afraid of dc. this does happen everywhere. don’t forget that execution style shooting at starbucks in about ‘00.
April 21, 2008 at 4:37 pmyou should try and post a picture of chris, maybe his friend JP could help?
April 21, 2008 at 4:53 pmJP - thanks for posting. As I mentioned I did only speak to him rather briefly, but the kids he was staying with, to my friend who made our introductions, all seemed to think pretty highly of him and I was looking forward to getting to know him better.
As far as being afraid of DC - that wasn’t the point of the article at all, and I didn’t want to draw attention to random violence on its own. Personally I’ve never been afraid in D.C., but I stay pretty aware of my surroundings and I don’t look like a “target.” But then again, Chris definitely didn’t look like a “target” being that he was a big dude, with a lot of tattoos and a don’t-fuck-with-me demeanor that would belie how nice he was if you met him.
But I also didn’t want his death to go relatively unnoticed.
Mike
April 21, 2008 at 5:00 pmfor all of you who knew my good friend .he will be missed so much. iknew chris for 20+ YEARS i have lived with him drank with him and laughed with him.this is a sad day ,kore
April 21, 2008 at 6:10 pmI’ve had several friendds mugged on Champlain - that street is just not safe at night, especially on the weekends. The cops pay zero attention to it and the muggers know that, yet people use it like it was 18th st. Nevertheless, I’m very sorry to hear about this. That’s effed up.
April 21, 2008 at 6:18 pmthe articles say “Champlain St” and “near 18th and Kalorama” which sounds like this was right around the Marie C Reed Learning Center. same place I got mugged at 11:30 pm on a thursday a couple of years ago.
April 21, 2008 at 7:01 pmI’m sorry — and I realize that I will sound like I lack compassion — but this piece is not an obituary. In fact, its not much of anything. If you’re not going to do this guy justice by actually researching him, why even bother?
April 21, 2008 at 9:12 pmwhat’sthepoint missed the point. You’re right, it’s not really an obituary. I’ll give you that. The point, however, was that I didn’t really know him, had just spoken to him briefly, and the next day I found out he had died. The point was that only a couple of people in DC knew him, and no one here would get to know him now, even me. And because the absurdity and randomness of it all (how many people really just meet someone, ever, and then a few hours later they are dead?) it really struck home, especially after I (again, just randomly) picked up a book at a bookstore, started reading it, and was hit with that passage I quoted about always wanting to do something and never getting to.
I am sure his friends can write an obituary and post it wherever they want to. I just wanted to do a little bit about a guy I met briefly, who seemed pretty cool, and who a couple hours later died. And now the people who do know him (such as JP and kore) have a place where they can post a bit about him if they want, or at least know that someone cared enough about meeting someone who then died to write a little bit about it, even if it wasn’t an in-depth and researched obituary.
April 21, 2008 at 9:23 pmMy condolences to his family and friends. Life can be fleeting and tragic things can happened to any of us. Again, my condolences.
April 21, 2008 at 9:42 pmCondolences to the fam.
April 22, 2008 at 12:02 amWEST COAST LOVE FOR EAST COAST HATE!! brother you are missed, and loved. some of the best times of my life, chris was standing across from me, and if d.c. would have gave him a chance hunreds would say the same with in a year. i have many questions. would the so called FRIENDS, that no one knows of, that didn’t take him to the hospital, get at me. and if he was hand cuffed who the fuck took off the hand cuffs and where the fuck are they?? sorta pissed over my homie losing his life on earth, but am happy to see him starting a new one up above!! REST IN PEACE chris.. and to who ever whats the point is , heres a fuck you to refering to chris as this guy!! get some respect..
April 22, 2008 at 3:33 amTragic story, for sure. It’s spelled “minuscule,” for the record. Not that BYT is the foremost example of serious journalism, but at least in serious stories such as this one, it’d be nice to have oft-repeated words spelled correctly.
April 22, 2008 at 9:46 amOur WordPress spellcheck doesn’t work and we can’t afford to pay a copy editor - would you like to work for us for free?
April 22, 2008 at 9:51 amEvery dictionary I checked lists miniscule as a variation of minuscule.
April 22, 2008 at 9:55 amMichael, thanks for writing this and illuminating the point that Chris is not just another random, faceless statistic, but someone who was loved and will be missed..For his friends, I’m sorry for your loss.
April 22, 2008 at 10:37 amGil - no problem and thank you for getting the exact reason why I wrote it.
April 22, 2008 at 10:40 amto “whats_the_point” and minus-cule girl,” holy missing the point, batman. To me, this was a very eloquently stated micro-essay (or is that mucro-essay;) ) on life and loss and what might have been or what we hope might have been or what we might have hoped might have been.
I found it very eloquent and moving. Thanks, Michael. And glad I found byt (on dcblogs noted!)
washwords (http://washwords.wordpress.com)
this reminds me of the preppy kids in high school that boo-hooed when someone they didn’t know died. omg, he walked past me one time! omg omg!
it’s terribly sad what happened, but let the news reporters & the PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY KNEW CHRIS SAVAGE talk about it.
April 22, 2008 at 2:18 pmi just wanted to add that i feel this is tragic & terrible that this random act of violence happened. no disrespect to the dead. just hating on byt.
April 22, 2008 at 2:22 pmAs long as everyone has their priorities straight, I guess.
April 22, 2008 at 2:29 pmI too was a friend of chris for 20 or so years. I had just gone downtown a few days earlier looking for him and no one knew where he was. It is truely fucked up that some piece of shit did this horribile thing to such a good Kat. He will be missed.
April 22, 2008 at 2:35 pm“To The…” No, you aren’t hating on BYT. You’re hating on me personally for writing about something that occured reasonably close to me, despite the fact that I didn’t truly know Chris.
So for that, fuck you.
Fuck you for equating me to a preppy kid and fuck you for your simplistic analogy, which wasn’t at all the same. The friends Chris had in DC are my friends. The person who introduced Chris to me is my very close friend. I work (sometimes) where Chris was going to work. It goes without saying that Chris and I had the potential to be pretty good acquaintences (I don’t toss the friend word around lightly). This is why the whole situation struck pretty close to that cliche called home.
Also, the article wasn’t about Chris per se, but, again…oh nevermind. People have already posted who got exactly what the article was about. Was it spawned by Chris’s death? Absolutely. Do I think that friends of Chris appreciate the fact that I took the time to write it and submit it to BYT? Yeah, I’d make that assumption since a few of them have posted as much on here.
A news reporter? To what? Regurgitate some facts that they found out? That, too, wasn’t the point of this article. But since you’re just so busy making idiotic comments to show your ire towards BYT (why you bother reading it makes no sense) you’re likely never to get the point.
April 22, 2008 at 2:36 pmabout the previous post: i couldn’t agree more. i would like to add a ‘fuck you’ to the cowardly anon poster as well.
on what street did this happen?
April 23, 2008 at 12:27 pmi miss him so much. i dont think I know any of you here. But I can tell you what he meant to his loved ones here in Bakersfield. I definately think the people of DC shouldnt be defensive about their city. No one cares WHERE it happend the heartache is that our friend lover and family was ripped away from us and had to die without the comfort of the ones who care so deeply for him. He was so funny! Really a kind person. He was such a thoughtful fiance. I cant stand this. I still cant beleive ill never touch him again. Chris was my good friend and then later my fiance. I never got to say goodbye…..I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER
April 23, 2008 at 2:44 pmTotally tragic. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of Chris’s friends and family. Life is too precious. I hate that it takes losing someone close to us to remember that.
April 23, 2008 at 3:08 pmMy husband found this post the closest thing for right now to closure. It is true who cares where it happened, what matters is that my husband and everyone of his friends were touched one way or another by this man. I hope this post continues with words of kindness. I don’t care who wrote it, they took the time to write it, unlike the empty threats on here and idiotic questions. I think when a friend or a loved one dies we over look the fact that they are gone, and some try to justify it by gossiping and asking way too many questions about the specifics rather than remember the deceased. I for one did not know him, I knew what my husband knew. So who cares who wrote this, they can tell right now by what all of Christopher’s friend wrote that he missed out on something special and for that he took the time to say something. An “F” you or a East Coast West Coast rivalry is riduculos. This man seemed very loved for the short time he was in the city, that says something for who he was. I hope that you all stop and remember the good times, and stop dragging his name through the mud, remember his parents hear it, no matter how old they are, and they don’t need to. If they want to share the specifics they will, and if you are so set on knowing ask them I dare you, we all know you won’t. It will not solve anything. To those of you who decided to post negative comments, great for you. I hope the 2 minutes you took to write those insensitive comments was worth your time. And to those who were just simply able to be touched, no matter by what means, ignore it. Don’t perpetuate the hate and fall victim to the ignorance. My condolences to his friends, family and those who were able to be graced by just his presence.
April 23, 2008 at 3:38 pmSavage was the homie. I knew Chris scince the 80’s and he was the best. I can’t believe this happened to someone like him. He was the funniest dude ever and one of the coolest. TRAGIC! I wish I knew what the hell happened. It seems fishy! RIP Savoire.
April 23, 2008 at 7:15 pmSabrena, we are all here for you.
Chris was a beautiful man and loving friend of many. I still do not believe this happened. RIP, my friend; we wish you were here.
Love, Jes
Nothing but love for Chris Savage. He had notheing but love for me and nothing but love for you.
April 25, 2008 at 1:10 pmI first would like send condolences to chris,s family,and to his fiance. chris was my roommate for about a year in oregon,he was a generous and caring man . he would have givin the shirt off of his back . It seems to me the people responsible are nothing but cowardly predators,and I hope they get what is cominng to them. you have taken a great friend. rest in peace my brother your friend todd . p/s when you get to heaven give rex and all the other homies A HUG.
April 25, 2008 at 8:57 pmmy name is kyle. i’m friends with vinnie, the guy chris was staying with here in dc. i’d just like to clear the air here. i met chris as soon as he got into town and hung out with him several times over the next few days. vinnie and i both loved him dearly and regret that we were not able to know him the way so many of you did. his death hurt us both and if anyone wants to speak to either one of us let me know and i’m sure we can figure something out. and for those of you who don’t know, there is an article being written about him by the dc city paper, and vinnie, vinnie’s girlfriend and i were interviewed for it. we’ll fight to make sure it is both fair and accurate and we will not allow chris to be exploited. and hopefully you will all have peace of mind knowing that it isn’t just the three of us being interviewed, but also members of the bakersfield turbojugend as well as a few of his childhood friends. and vinnie and i have have also been in contact with the bakersfield turbojugend as well. and i’m sorry your upset. we all are too. but we really want you all to know that he wasn’t alone here. we loved him and took care of him the best that we knew how. and regarding the comment about chris not being taken to the hospital, i want to say that chris came home upset but he was still coherent. he was shaken but it just looked like he had been in a fight. either way, it wasn’t the mugging that caused his death. what happened was a tragedy and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer less-deserving person. savage for life. not a day goes by that we don’t think about him, same as you.
April 26, 2008 at 5:36 amMy condolences to the Savage family. I knew Savage since we were teenagers. I could go on and on about all the great qualities about Savage and what a great person he was. And in his case they would all be true. I dont know if anyone else ever thinks to themselves” When I die, What will people remember me for? ” I can only hope that the when my day comes, There will be as many authentic qualities and memories as Savage has left us with. Life is strange and things happen for a reason, they are not always the random act that we think they are. Savage was in DC for a reason and part of that reason was his days on this planet to end and life up above to begin. So for all that knew him take solace in the fact he is in a better place at the desired time. Tomorrow might be yours or my last day, so let us also remember to live every day as a gift. R.I.P. Chris Savage, from your old friend
April 27, 2008 at 4:25 amSavage “MADE ME LAUGH” and was true in every sense. I can’t remember a boring moment with my brother ever because there never was one. Chris lived more than most ever will and all of his many brothers know this. I will miss Chris Savage my friend…
April 27, 2008 at 1:53 pmI knew Chris Savage since the first day we met. And it is like they say… He was a friend in the first 7 seconds of meeting him. And on the 8th second you were laughing. He IS a beautiful soul. I grieve very deeply for the Savage family and my prayers are for you…. ps.. To Chris it was a privilege and honor to have known you for the 20+ years. You are greatly missed .
April 27, 2008 at 4:35 pmThe things this man did in his life and how he changed our lifes for knowing him since we were kids will be greatly missed. A unique individiual with a crazy ass sense of humor, come on anyone who could make you fall over about a song about ‘’sitting on the front porch eating roast beef”……..MY SIDE HURTS JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT SHIT! Regardless of all the senseless bullshit that some ”coward ass fatherless punks” did to him, the way he changed all whom know him will never be forgotten. Thanks to the people in DC for all the kind words and just caring for a unique person that was only known briefly. ”Savwa” see you and ”Hubbard” one day….better have brought some beer this time fool!!!!!..love ya
Gup
April 28, 2008 at 11:51 amA tragic story…it’s important for people to know this stuff still goes on in DC.
April 28, 2008 at 1:09 pmAs stated by all his friends Chris brought laughter to our lives and his spirit will live on in Bakersfield a town that had much love for him!!
RIP Chris we already MISS YA!!
Thank you for writing this article. It was great.
It is so obvious by reading the posts who knew Chris and those who did not. He was a wonderful person, bottom line. Every single person that actually knew him took the time to comment on his wonderful personality not spelling mistakes.
A life was lost. It is a tragedy. Be respectful.
We all need help here and here.
You will be missed Savage Von Ravage
For those of you
the city paper article is up. here’s the link: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=35512. vinnie’s out in california helping out with the funeral and i told him to mention it to all the guys out there but for anybody that he doesn’t get to, if anybody wants copies of this week’s city paper let me know and we’ll get them sent out to you. they’re free so it’s no big deal.
May 1, 2008 at 2:56 amThe loss of Savage is truely sad, and many friends are heavy hearted. I want to thank Chris’ friends in D.C. for helping Chris when he was in need. Christopher was one of a kind, and there will be no other like him. I thank God for having a chance to have known Chris as long as I did. He was a dear friend to all who met him, and a brother to all who grew up with him. Savage, Thank You for all the laughter you gave us, and the great memories. Thank you to Joe and Ann for raising such a kind heart son…..
R.I.P. Savage Love Ya Brother
Michael, this was well written. Thanks for doing that. I picked the City Paper up on the way to a baseball game the other day and read this story and felt bad for Chris. Dude was trying to get his act together. Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. RIP Chris.
May 6, 2008 at 8:31 amI was so….. sad to hear about Chris Savage’s death. I haven’t seen Chris since I moved outa Bako. 15 years ago. I grew up with him in my teenage years and he WAS one of the funniest guys I knew, I swear he could just bust a rhyme about that moment in time and clown like no other!He was truly genuine and one of a kind! All the Punk shows,progress, the shack, the beach, house parties etc…etc…Man, many years have now passed us by now and this tragic death of his young life! I know I was Blessed by knowing Chris while growing up back in the days of Bako.your spirit touched me then.Their was only ONE “CHRIS SAVAGE”, man R.I.P Brother.I grieve for the Savage Family and ALL of his close brotha’s and sista’s, who mourn his death, I’m praying for peace in this time of loss…Lissa B. ( formly known as fitch)
May 14, 2008 at 2:20 pmI came across this site after doing a search on “assault adams morgan” today. My son Chris F., 22, was assaulted June 1 after leaving the Brass Monkey just before closing time. He was walking alone trying to go upstream to catch a cab rather than wait with the crowds. He did not see his assailant(s) and woke up to Police and Paramedics offering assistance, which he refused. His cell phone, ID and a couple credit cards were missing. He finally caught a cab home (the cabbie held his watch in hock till he came back with money from his apartment). On Monday night his mother and I (200 miles away) convinced him to go to the doctor. He was admitted to the hopital with crushed bones around his eye. He now has 2 plates in his face, blurred vision and nerve damage- but he is alive.
We think he was attacked very close to the place where Chris Savage was attacked. He has lived in DC almost a year and never was afraid. Now that’s different.
We consider ourselves lucky. My heart goes out to Chris Savage’s parents. I can only imagine their pain and anger.
June 6, 2008 at 6:46 pm[...] A comment from a father whose son was mugged in DC on June 1. It’s on a thread on the blog Brightest Young Things, about the man who was mugged in a similar area and later died. New neighborhood blog: Fort Lincoln in NE. [...]
June 9, 2008 at 12:03 am
RIP Christopher J. Savage
This is fucked up…
April 21, 2008 at 4:01 pm