When Mates Have Soul

Couldn’t decide if I wanted you to see Tony’s ride or if I wanted to share the full song for this opening because it was a hell of a Monday morning.

Not because the body surprised me and decided it needed to empty all contents or because I had the kind of meeting that made me give a Cheshire cat grin that lasted for hours because it is hard to believe how well some things are going.

Had a funny conversation with a guy who asked me if I had any idea how much trouble some software engineers are having because I said I knew something about it.

Didn’t tell him that I know a guy that might be looking or that once upon a time I had been tasked with searching for them for prospective employment either.

Read about the romance of a man and woman in Auschwitz and thought about the many twists and turns life can take and the importance of when mates have soul.

I’m Not Going To Miss You

Got Glen Campbell on the headphones and am thinking about talking with dad about experiences.

It was one of those moments during the last six months of his life where we spoke openly about what we knew was coming and the benefit of retaining your mind even when your body is failing.

We both knew families that had watched loved ones disappear as their mental faculties went and agreed it is horrible.

I hated watching his body begin to mutiny and parts of it shut down. I hated seeing the pain and recognizing it was starting to wear him down and I selfishly was glad that he always knew me.

Thought about dad more than once as I went back and forth with the kid at the store that sold us the new washing machine.

Heard him tell me not to worry about the damn thing, “you’re not Jack Reacher and you’ll make more money.”

Wondered if he heard me tell him about the new job and promise to visit sometime in 2020. Not sure when because I am going to be doing a tour of states, but I’ll get there.

Prior to starting the new position I spent a significant chunk of time the in the garage clearing out old papers and tearing through boxes.

It felt a bit like opening some time capsules, some that covered the last ten or so years and some that went back much farther.

Some of it made me smile and some of it made me wonder what the hell I was thinking and why I had bothered to hold onto it.

There were college papers and some items from high school and more than a few pieces of the puzzle that have helped make me who I am today.

Found some old newspaper articles I wrote long ago and essays that rightfully sound like a much younger version of me.

That guy would appreciate the old man still has some fire in his belly.