NRTS

“NRTS” is short for Not Repairable This Station.   It is an Air Force “thing” with numerical codes.  The numerical code explained why it was not repairable .  Such as lack of parts, lack of technical knowledge, repair not authorized, lack of equipment…

Guess this must be NRTS Code 4 lack of parts.

A long time friend died yesterday.  As he left the hospital to go home to die the Doctors said he would live three days….and he made it ten days.  The extra time was well spent with his immediate family.  Jim struggled with lack of parts for years…mainly his leg which was eventually amputated.  Prior to his amputation he had recurrent Staph infections.  Later he would be on and off dialysis and have heart problems.  He was a “classic” friend. He had faith, faith in God and he knew that he was saved only by grace and grace alone not by works…should any man boast. 

Perhaps our friend is not repairable this station…but is in the next.  NRTS.. HB  Heaven Bound.

Wistful Wednesday: Chuck and Ardith

A month ago I told our youngest daughter.  “I have some sad news for you, your bestest friend in the whole world died.”  She replied “Oh Chuck died… that is sad.”

Chuck was a thorn in her (teenage) side for two weeks every summer.  He would come to the door and ask  “Can Jenny come out to play?”  When she hollered “NO” at him he would press his nose against the window of the piano room until she would draw the curtains and play piano so loudly she couldn’t hear him.  He would walk away shaking his head saying “I don’t know how they put up with that racket.”   He irritated her and she irritated him.  When he would first show up for his time at the lake she would greet him by saying “Aren’t you dead yet?” He would answer her “No and is that anyway to talk to your bestest friend in the whole world.”

Chuck was from Indiana, he was a Deputy Sheriff and a Jailer…one time he even ran for Sheriff.  He and his wife Ardith would vacation up here the last couple of weeks in August when it was the warmest in Indiana.  Chuck fished everyday he could, Ardith sewed. Ardith was a banker and the church organist, they vacationed with children and grandchildren for one of the weeks and the other was usually their quiet time.

High on their list was going out for supper.

 

Chuck, Gene, Me, Ardith, Sue and Keith (Chucks brother)

The waitress took this photo at Y’s Steakhouse in September of 2000.

We found our way to Chuck and Ardith’s home in Indiana one Fall and had a wonderful visit with them.  They had the cover on their pool and Chance thought it was just a blue tarp…and walked right out on it. Talk about a confused looking dog!

Sadly Ardith would suffer with large cancerous tumors in her abdomen that eventually took her life in 2011.  Chuck was very lonely after Ardith died.  He called a few times to talk and then the calls became fewer and fewer. He came up on vacation a few times but his last visit two years ago he didn’t even attempt to go fishing. Chuck joined Ardith in heaven on October 10 2015.

Chuck had a wonderful sense of humor and could tell stories for hours. Sometimes you didn’t know if he was pulling your leg or not.   He used to kidnap Captain one of our Shelties, Captain could be found in their cottage quite often …for nap time and a snack.

Chuck and Ardith were good friends. It is sad that they are both gone…times change and people die.  But it is still good to have friends that can make you smile long after they are gone.

I wrote about Chuck before Straight Lake: Legend of the Cap.

On The Wings of a Snow White Dove

Far Guy and Chance get the mail every morning…it is a ritual. 

I saw the unfamiliar handwriting at the familiar address. Damn.

A memorial card and newspaper clipping fluttered out onto the table.  My heart was in my throat and tears burned my eyes.

I knew it was Lois, if it would have been Hubert, Lois would have called…but Hubert he is more of a mail guy…a man of few words unless you are face to face with him.

Lois was 75 years old, I met her back in 1968.  She was a good friend for years and years…then they moved and we moved and we lost track of each other.  I sent a letter to the café in  the small town in Oklahoma where I thought they lived and lo and behold the Letter Carrier recognized the name.  The phone rang and it was Lois saying “I heard you are lookin for us?”

I sent her my famous notecards every so often, catching her up with our news.  I sent the last card in mid January, I last heard from her just after Christmas.

Now she is gone.  She didn’t have children.  She had a well loved blind in one eye cat called “Half Pint” and of course Hubert. 

Here is a old photo of Lois taken in the summer of 1971.

She was taking to Far Guy, those are his hands off to the right.

Lois died February 20, 2014.  Graveside services were held February 27, 2014.

It is what it is, we always wanted to go and visit them but never got there.  I am thankful for the numerous phone calls and letters we exchanged over the past few years.  Lois was a good friend.

Both of my long time letter writing friends have died within nine months of each other.  My mail box is going to be a little emptier from now on.

Do you have any old friends who you exchange letters with?

A Death In the email family

I have been communicating with an elderly gentleman for about three years by email. We met online, he loved jokes and had a wicked good sense of humor. He had been struggling with Alzheimer's and health problems, I could tell when he was doing well and when he was not. I could tell by his emails what time of the morning he got up. October 1st the emails I sent to him started coming back, I figured something was up..yesterday he died, we were notified by his step daughter..she said " He communicated with you alot..I just thought you would like to know."

So it is an end. We have an end to the story. Maybe we don't..you see Charles was an atheist. His father was a Pentecostal Evangelist in New York City.. Charles could quote Bible verse after Bible verse. His father committed suicide. Charles was a Marine..he was at Camp Lejeune..he always said that his children that were born there in 1957 and 1958 were marked..one had Aplastic Anemia and one had Cerebral Palsy. The love of Charles life was diagnosed with cancer here in Minnesota one summer..he said "That asshole doctor walked into the room, looked at my wife and said you are going to die." and then he walked out of the room. His lovely Rose died less than six months later. He remarried and his second wife died too..he said "I have out lived two women and one of my children..I am old and I can't remember lots of stuff.. I am done now." I guess you are Charles.. I guess you are.

Did I share my faith with Charles, yes I did. I would occasionally send him a real Bible thumping email..something that might get through that thick head of his. Occasionally he would send one back to me...it was like an email war. I can't be certain that he ever gave up his atheism..I guess I would like to think that those Bible Verses that he learned as a child came quietly back to comfort him the last few weeks of his life.

I loved it when he was in a reminiscing mood..he would write his thoughts to me..
"I was born in Newark New Jersey my father was a Pentecostal Evangelist. When I was old enough to remember we would go to the missions down in Hells Kitchen and The Battery in Manhattan. My Mother had one of those Fox Stoles with the head on I would go to sleep looking at the fox ( No wonder I like animals today, I guess they make me feel safe) Remember this was shortly after the depression. We moved several times and most of my memories then was being able to look across the river from the house and see the Empire State Building. We told the weather by the different colored lights on top. I got to go to Coney Island a few times to the boardwalk and the beach. The subways stops right at Coney Island, I never had enough money to ride in the park. At the entrance was this big Steeple Chase Ride. I need to stop now..I am tired."

I am sad. Really sad, I am not sure if there is a lesson to learn here or not. Don't communicate with the elderly..they will croak before you do. Do not give out your email over the Internet..you will be crushed when your friend who you never actually met dies. Don't get involved..Don't send jokes to anyone..they might die. Then I think of the jokes he exchanged with me and Far Guy, and the wonderful stories he shared .. how I worried about him during Hurricane Ike .. about the ruckus he caused and his cab ride back home.. about the smiles we shared across the miles. Is my sadness now worth it? I say yes it is..it was a pleasure to have met Charles and my life is richer and funnier because of him. Rest in peace my friend:)