JACK

I sit here wondering if he died last night or if my old friend Jack
lasted another day.
Yesterday as his wife Charlie and I talked on the phone I could
not help thinking of the tough old man and how in my 40s he had
become a friend I could always depend on and a man with little
but honesty, dignity and family left.

In order to understand it I drifted back to the beginning and the
way it started even before he came into my life.

My boy Kenny and I pulled out of our driveway that morning
wiping the tears away from saying goodbye to my wife Darlene
and my daughter Robin. Kenny and I were on a journey to
Colorado Springs, Colorado where I had accepted the job
offered me at the Gazette-Telegraph a month before.

Behind us we pulled a small U-Haul trailer with the clothing and
other necessities we would need to get started in Colorado with
a long trip ahead.

We had spent 10 years in beautiful northern California and
bought a nice home in Petaluma just north of San Francisco
2 years before.

It was hard to leave but the opportunity in Colorado was just
too much to turn down for me.

The Newspaper publisher in Colorado already had a place
ready for Kenny and I to move into and as we drove we
talked about how it might be in the middle of the winter in
the Rocky Mountains.

Well the trip was uneventful and 4 days later we drove down
the last canyon and into the city where we would now live.

The place set up for us to live in was on the Newspaper
property and sat on a little hill looking down at Pikes Peak
Avenue. It was white and over 100 years old having been
a Church at one time and later the home and business of a
Swiss baker. The old bread oven was still in the basement
and the building offered many surprises.

It was still dark outside that Sunday morning in 1985 as I got
dressed. I was on my way to the Newspaper, which was less
than 100 yards away. I wanted to see how my Circulation
Department operated on a Sunday, which is every Newspapers
toughest day of distribution.

Little did I know that this morning would turn into that lasting
friendship with Jack.

As I found my way into the Circulation Department, all of those
there hardly even took notice. The place was in kind of a
controlled bedlam and I just sat down and watched them as
they scurried between telephones and a two-way radio.

A young lady seemed to be in semi-control and I marveled at
how she could be on the Telephone, direct employees and use
the Radio at the same time.

Her name was Donna and I would eventually find out her Dad
was Jack.

I left the Newspaper that morning after introducing myself to
everyone knowing there was nothing I could do that would be
of any help until I had my full staff together which would be
the next day.

Well as time went by I got to know Donna well and found that
for such a young lady she had a lot of the right ideas for my
department.

We talked a lot over coffee and one night in a Denny’s
Restaurant she said “ There’s my Mom and Dad”

A man in his late 50s or early 60s had come in with his wife
about my age and they took a seat in the back of the place.
Donna took me over to introduce me to her folks and that’s
where Jack and I got started.

He walked with an unusual limp and he told me later that his
right knee had to be fused due to an accident. The limp did
not slow old Jack down though and before long we were
talking about the Rockies and the fishing that they offered.
Jack and Charlie knew a lot about those mountains filled with
Rivers and Lakes and we would someday know a lot more.

Jack and Charlie took me to Tin Cup, Mirror Lake and the
Gunnison River and the beauty I found there will never be
forgotten.

Jack and Charlie took me to the Greyhound Dog Track where
we had many a night of fun and excitement including a night
I’ll remember as “Jacks Night” where the old fart hit a Trifecta
for $1800 which he and Charlie could sure use.

I wish I could go on and on about us but I can’t stop thinking
that I saw Jack for the last time last September.

The day that Jane and I were leaving Colorado last year from
Jack and Charlie’s home, he came to me and asked me if we
couldn’t just live with them for the next couple of years.

I had to tell him No, I had agreed on a position with a
Tennessee Newspaper.

I know now as I write this that Jack knew then that the time
was short and our end was coming. Why didn’t I see it and
understand?

Jack and I deserved just a little more time together. He asked
for it and I had to turn him down and once again follow my
career.

Right now I would settle for an hour.

On this career thing, I have turned down too much, left too
many behind, but Jack was the last time for that.

“Jack, just between you and I” “When you go to the great
fishing holes or the never ending Dog race” “ Let me know,
I’ll meet you there”

I love you my friend and carry your memory with me.

Bobby 2002

Jack died before I could get to Colorado Springs one more time