My dear sweet Texas cousin Brandy recently asked me if I was going to post new blog entry before I left for Kansas. I told her if I did it would be the most boring entry ever and it would read something like:
Packingpackingpackingsleep5mins.
Packingpackingpackingsleep5mins.
Packingpackingpackingsleep5mins.
Today I realized that I do need to post one more episode before I leave.
There is plenty of things I'm going to miss about Florida but mostly I'm going to miss my friends and family I'm leaving behind. To all that touched my life over past 39 years I owe a debt of gratitude.
Teachers, employers, ex girlfriends, fellow bar patrons, cashiers, police officers, random people on the street all have transformed me into who I am today. You may have brought out the best I have to offer. You may have seen me at my absolute worst.
Whether our interaction lasted seconds, like the person who cut me off in the parking lot. Who instead of flipping off and letting fly an exploitive filled discription of your lack of driving prowess, I decided it would a better lesson for my kids in the back seat and you for me to stick my head 2 feet out the window and blow you a 5 second razzberry.
Or if our relationship lasted years like my art teacher Mr. Kanarr who taught me one end of a pencil is as functionally important the other. He gave me same homework assignment every night for months. Draw 10 trees. The best grade he ever gave me was a C+. Until the day I cut out the sillouette of a tree in a large sheet of posterboard. Took that into the darkroom and contact printed it 10 times on a sheet of photo paper. That day he gave an A+ and never gave me that assignment again. He encouraged to spend more time "playing" in the darkroom. I made some really cool prints over the next few months. He then introduced me to screen printing. Later I would spend close to 20 years working in the printing industry.
Right now we are hitting the road to begin our new lives in Hutch. I'm not sure what I will do for a living when I get there. Maybe I'll resume my career in the printing field, maybe not. Regardless Mr. Kanarr gave me a skill I can always fall back on.
Hutchinson is a small town, hopefully if someone cuts me in traffic I will have the wear withal to blow him a razzberry and not take the low road. It would my luck our scheduals will mesh so closely that every day we will meet at that same intersection. I'd rather we blow razzberries and chuckle back and forth each day, instead of "mean mugging" one and other everyday for 10 years only to find out he is going to be my granddaughter's high school principal.
I'd be remissed if I didn't mention the people who touched my life the most over the past 4 decades.
Lee
You are my oldest and best friend. You have always been there for me. When I had nowhere to turn, I would turn and you'd be there. You put me up when I had nowhere to go. You've changed my life. You even found my wife for me and kept her safe until we figured out we were meant for each other. To Lisa you will always be her bucket. To me you will always be my super hero.
Charles
You were my first roommate, in fact you were there for my first lots of things. My first beer, my first smoke. We always had fun. From cruising in the Vega, to picking up chicks at 70 mph. on the highway on our way to the Steppenwolf concert. I'm most surprised we never got arrested together. From our "house wrecking" party to trying to incite a riot at said Steppenwolf concert. We should have been cell mates more times than I care to mention. When I moved to KS. when I was 16 you were the only one called to ask if I was coming back to FL.
Steve
We've worked together and watched our kids grow up together. Our friendship has been stressed over the past few months mainly due to time restraints. I really do miss meeting up on the road for our safety meetings. I just want you to know I will always consider you one of my best friends.
Tony
Growing up with you as my brother was one of the biggest influences on my life. My musical tastes stem from living in the same house as you. The diversity of the stuff you listened to made me realize there was more to music than just rock-n-roll. Even though a lot of the stuff I listen now at best makes you shake your head and at worst makes you cringe.
Not only are you my brother but for 5 years you were my business partner. I'm still sad that didn't work out. I miss needing to call you 20 times a week for work issues. It gave us a chance to catch up on everyday things as well. I hope you and Deb and Racheal will come up and see us sometime.
Sandi
My baby sister. I may just miss you most of all. I'll never forget the day I had to ask Dusty for the day off. When he asked "Why?" I looked him straight in the eye and said "I'm going to marry my sister."
I'm so happy you found Tommy. I've never seen you so happy.
I'm so proud of Alexis. The past couple of years she has really come into her own. You should be proud as well. You did a great job raising her. You guys should come see us too. I promise to not push you out of the back of a bus or stick a dart in your cheeck.
There are so many more. It would be impossible to list them all. Just know I will miss you all. But for now I need to get back to:
Packingpackingpackingsleep5mins.
Packingpackingpackingsleep5mins.
Packingpackingpackingsleep5mins.
I am Scott.
