This is one of a series of notes from my trip to the far north country fair Dakota. I had a chance to meet and re-meet some fine people. If you are keeping track, it's a series that starts here and ends when I run out of things to say. So.
Jack Sunday. No Relation to Billy that I know. (Jack you'll have to google that one up.) Jack and I have for a couple years become friends via getting acquainted on Julie N's blog. Wired friends. I don't know who started it. I don't care. But at Duffworld I met him. In the flesh.
What a decent guy. Kind. Gentle. Intelligent. I now understand his liberalism. It's born of nice. Unlike the mean Gene who is far less nice, it's understandable. He's just decent. I'm conservative.
And for reasons that have a tiny bit with his 55 years on the planet he has lost weight. A lot of weight. I had seen his promo pix. I went to Duffworld looking for him aka his pubpix. NO FLY. Instead this handsome slim much- better- looking- than- his- publicity- pix man was there. I wasn't sure it was him. Then he started talking about his dog. He has movies of his dog on his phone. I knew I had my man.
We had a nice conversation and I hope to do so again. Funny how a rightwingnut conservative meanie and a nice liberal like Jack can get along so well. I blame it on his niceness. I could take a lesson. NAAAA
The next night back to Duffworld. There for a 3 party meet. Larry Ristvedt, Jack and me. Unfortunately Jack got the message re the meetup THE NEXT DAY.
Larry and I had a wonderful time. I never appreciated his wisdom all the years we hung out together and all the years we were in biz together. I have to admit there were times he pulled me back from self destruction. I was capable of it. We were an interesting partnership. He was the cautious and conservative one. I was the dreamer and the one with passion. I would find a bridge to leap off and he would suggest getting a boat upstream to reach the same place. It worked.
I think that the one thing he taught me which I never forgot was the value of integrity. Never cheat, never lie, (except to Uncle Sam and then don't lie, tax avoidance isn't a crime, tax evasion is). It kept us clean and sober. More or less.
I miss Larry and next time I'm in the north we will have those tri-partite talks.
I reupped an acquaintance with John Boekelheide. John was a year younger than me in school. His Dad was a great guy. I knew the family my whole life. We spent some time Ken, John, Peggy and me till midnight attempting solutions at the worlds problems. None came forth. Darn liberals. Oh, well it was beautiful on Main Street Ellendale.
Then on the way home Peggy told me that there had been a spark between her and John at one time. I don't know about it all but it's interesting to think how her life and mine might have been different. Her's might have been better. Mine would have been worse. But I'm glad it all worked out. Our 40th anniversary is next Sunday the 16th. Who'da thunk it.
I got to ride in Jim Redlins VETTE. The Great Yellow Goose. Yikes, you shouldn't be able to go that fast that quickly in anything not driven by a rocket engine. Oh, and Jim, remember 25 years ago when I had become a Christian I told you I wanted to be a Minister Someday? I'm back in the saddle again officially. In a LUTHERAN CHURCH. It's been a few years. You don't have to call me Father or anything. Kissing my ring is ok however. HEH!
I got to meet Rob Port of Say Anything. The real highlight was meeting his little daughter Harley. What a cutie. My grandpa genes kicked right in. I wanted to buy her a trike.
He's a good guy who works harder than anyone I know. Very smart. Deluded on Wal-Mart. But a really good guy. I'm glad I met him. He is doing a good work and it deserves support. I do and I will.
But, crossing the Illinois border was like breathing again. I'm home here. Dakota is a visit now. I even know the Illinois state song. I don't know if I ever did know the North Dakota State Song. Too late to learn it now.
Sweet Home Chicago.
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