Yesterday I got a call from a dear long time friend. He has, for the last 40 years been a buddy, a mentor. Once as a political co-conspirator, we ran Lee Iacocca for President because he refused, and simply did not want to be the President. We didn’t care: we thought he was the best candidate. The law is such that you can develop a Presidential campaign but only if the candidate doesn’t want to announce or run. Yes it’s another one of those stupid laws. We raised $50 grand. With that money we printed hillarious literature and held any number of amazing campaign events. We were visited by a few Iaccoca’s lacky’s, who came really close to threatening our lives, but after they met us they stopped worrying. Another time we were working on an actual Presidential campaign with a real life candidate in Texas. At the end of the event, once the candidate was wheels up (that means he flew away), we drove to Mexico to party. Our transportation was six campaign rental vehicles. We drank too much an decided to take a limo back toTexas rather than risk driving drunk. No one ever saw those cars again.
He - my friend - is a like a brother, a life line, and a well respected Democratic operative. And that’s only the beginning. Everyone one should have a person like this in their life. Unfortunately, not many of these people exist. He is literally one of a kind.
Anyway, he called me to say Goodbye. Over the years he has travelled down a long path of disability and illness. He lost a limb and an eye when he was wounded in Vietnam. Then years of rehab, hard work, and incredible genius and he became a successful Washington lobbyist with an amazing supportive gorgeous family. And additionally, he is in the Enlisted Man’s Hall of Fame. But his health problems never disappeared. He had a liver transplant, cancer, and diabetes. Still, he has worked tirelessly for Veterans rights and care — both in and out of government. Somehow when he wasn’t working as a lobbyist, there was some stupid rule about his veterans benefits, they disappeared and his financial problems got worse. But no matter what problems he faced he was an activist and worked tirelessly for Veterans. All these elected officials who have given lip service to their concern for Veterans, never helped him.
A few months ago I got a call from another good friend who was about to kill himself. His body had failed him and he just couldn’t deal with being disabled. He did kill himself. This was not that kind of call. He called to say he was tired and his body was no longer working — he had to have a leg amputated, so it was just a matter of time till he was over. I told him I was not going to have a goodbye conversation on the phone, and I would see him in the next few weeks.
Everyone is going to die at some point. That is a reality of life. But it takes a great deal of courage to face the end and pass the time knowing your life is at an end sooner than you imagined. I felt honored to be one of the people he felt was important enough in his life to take a little time, express his thanks and love for our incredible friendship. I will go and see him and thank him in return for all those fabulous adventures. But he will remain a part of my life until I make the same phone call to the people I love. My hope is that the rest of the time he has is spent at peace with an abundance of joy. We’re just sayin’…Iris
He - my friend - is a like a brother, a life line, and a well respected Democratic operative. And that’s only the beginning. Everyone one should have a person like this in their life. Unfortunately, not many of these people exist. He is literally one of a kind.
Anyway, he called me to say Goodbye. Over the years he has travelled down a long path of disability and illness. He lost a limb and an eye when he was wounded in Vietnam. Then years of rehab, hard work, and incredible genius and he became a successful Washington lobbyist with an amazing supportive gorgeous family. And additionally, he is in the Enlisted Man’s Hall of Fame. But his health problems never disappeared. He had a liver transplant, cancer, and diabetes. Still, he has worked tirelessly for Veterans rights and care — both in and out of government. Somehow when he wasn’t working as a lobbyist, there was some stupid rule about his veterans benefits, they disappeared and his financial problems got worse. But no matter what problems he faced he was an activist and worked tirelessly for Veterans. All these elected officials who have given lip service to their concern for Veterans, never helped him.
A few months ago I got a call from another good friend who was about to kill himself. His body had failed him and he just couldn’t deal with being disabled. He did kill himself. This was not that kind of call. He called to say he was tired and his body was no longer working — he had to have a leg amputated, so it was just a matter of time till he was over. I told him I was not going to have a goodbye conversation on the phone, and I would see him in the next few weeks.
Everyone is going to die at some point. That is a reality of life. But it takes a great deal of courage to face the end and pass the time knowing your life is at an end sooner than you imagined. I felt honored to be one of the people he felt was important enough in his life to take a little time, express his thanks and love for our incredible friendship. I will go and see him and thank him in return for all those fabulous adventures. But he will remain a part of my life until I make the same phone call to the people I love. My hope is that the rest of the time he has is spent at peace with an abundance of joy. We’re just sayin’…Iris
No comments:
Post a Comment