Emma, Betsy and I turned the corner in the hallway of the the Old Soldiers and Sailors home near Enumclaw, Washington. There, alone in a wheelchair of the hall, sat an old sailor. The ravages of time and Parkinson's disease had taken their toll, but, on his face was a slight smile and an unseen hardness that only years at sea can teach a man.
From his cellphone, the soft music of Ella Fitzgerald flowed like a cool mountain stream, her voice softly filling the hall with memories of days gone by. Betsy, softly touches his shoulder and says "Grandpa, are you awake?" his eyes slowly open and then light up as he sees her and Emma. He starts to sing with Ella...I think it was "Lady Be good" when his eyes meet mine, he stopped and we shared a knowing moment. I sang a few bars with him as a flood of memories overcame me and I was taken back to happier times and places that he and I shared together.
My Friend Don Ennis passed away today. Don was my Ex-father-in-law....A term I hated because he always felt like a father to me. I last saw Don less than a month ago. Though the visit was brief, it was good to see him again. I am glad I made the journey.
I first met Don In early 1981 while I was dating his daughter. He was constructing a trailer from an old Ford trailer bed. He enjoyed learning new things and working with his hands. Pam and I soon married and he became my father in law.
Don and I had many great adventures. Hunting, fishing and working on old cars dominated the list of activities and we enjoyed our time together. One of the first, was a car trip across the country from Utah to Connecticut in a 64 Thunderbird. Don had been given the car by His father in law in California and stopped by Utah to pick up Pam and I. 2.5 days of continuous driving and various car troubles marked our first trip and and I got to see close up the good man that Don was.
A lifetime of memories followed that trip, But one of the last we had together was 19 years later. I was just recovering from my first Bypass Heart surgery and Don was in the first stages of Parkinson's disease. My truck alternator had gone out on a trip to Cedar city, and all the repair shops had closed.
Determined to fix it, Don and I bought the new alternator and struggled with how to go about the repair...you see...I had no strength to loosen the bolts from having my chest ripped open 2 months earlier, and Don, could not get the wrenches and sockets on the bolts so he could loosen them.
We looked at each other and started laughing....he said something like aren't we a "Laurel and Hardy" pair...What a sight we must have been...Me trying to get the wrench on the bolt ....then trying to hand off to Don to loosen....It took us several hours but we got the job done and built an unforgettable memory together.
Time, Distance and health made our memories fewer, but, I have enough to see me thru the years ahead.
So Don, Thank god you lived. Like the Old man and the sea, You weathered this storm and brought your ship safely into harbor.
Fair winds and Following seas my dear friend, and long may your big jib draw. Yours was a life well lived.
