Monday, March 14, 2005

Tribute to Gary

the fire is burning   coffee is brewing , and my dinner sits cold on my plate , yet i eat it anyways   i would like this entry to be a small tribute to Gary   ....Gary was a postal customer of mine   i learned today that he had died of cancer back in October (this was the time i was out from a broken toe)   i met his only daughter today, Amber   i had been wondering for awhile now why i hadn't seen him   he usually will at least stick his head out the door and say hello to me when it's been awhile    ...i can't believe he's gone   and a tear rolls down my face........i don't see all my customers on my postal route, but there are certain ones i see all the time    Gary was one of my regulars     he was only 56   a wonderful guy    he just retired last year from his job at sandia labs   he was always tinkering around the house when i saw him     his last project was working on an old international scout   fixin it up  to be his drive around vehicle    he painted it that lime green color i don't like   but he did such an excellent job it almost looked neon    he took the top off   lifted it up and put these humongous tires on it    he rebuilt the engine , or bought a new one    he did every detail  and one door he wasn't ever satisfied with the results so he was constantly sanding and resanding and repainting    he has this gorgeous sailing boat in his front yard    kept asking me to help him wash it    i actually thought about it, but you know how life goes    ......if i remeber correctly, the last time i saw him last summer, he told me he had cancer    i asked if he was ok, and of course he said he was     that was just before i broke my toe in september     anyways, this cancer stuff has got to quit    2 other customers have been dealing with it too   plus a co-worker has delt with it and is now in her first year of remission    ........there's got to be a cure one day......i wear my Lance Armstrong 'LIVESTRONG' bracelet and will continue to do so especially for a Gary.     he will sorely be missed    he already is.......he was a great guy!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

{{{kbear}}} so sorry to hear about your loss.   To care for someone we come in contact with, as you did, is what makes us humans so wonderful, and yet vunerable, all at once.  In caring we open ourselves up to the possibility of being hurt.  But it is the opening of ourselves, that excitement we feel when we do, that helps to make the connection to another's heart.  Take some time for yourself these next few days.  ~Dona