23 YEARS LATER

Last Friday I had lunch with a guy that used to work for me. Twenty three years ago he had a massive heart attack and it took me over two hours to get him stabilized, into a truck and driven to the hospital. I put him in the front seat of the stock truck (with all its manure and everything in the back) because that was the closest one to us. I drove him to the hospital and parked the truck in the ambulance entrance (duh my passenger had just had a major heart attack). The emergency room nurses threw a fit that I had to get the truck out of there---I threw a fit that they needed to get the guy in the truck into the emergency room---I WON BUT IT WAS A TOUGH FOUGHT BATTLE.

After many trips to the hospital in SLC and much concern that he wasn't going to make it---HE DID---and contrary to all of the predictions he is doing great. He went out on a medical retirement because all of the doctors said he would never be able to go to 10,000 feet again and more than half of the District was above 10,000 feet so he worked until he was eligible (about 18 months) and then went out. He has worked very hard at keeping in shape and doing what he needs to do to stay healthy. He was finally able to get back to 10,000 feet.

Two weeks ago he shot a six point bull elk on one of our favorite areas on the District. It is at an elevation above 10,000 feet and we spent many memorable days together near where he got the elk. He brought some great pictures of it to the lunch and we had a great visit. I am SOOOOO glad he is OK.

Everyone has someone that worked for them that they use to rate everyone else against---HE IS MINE---and has been for 27 years. I hope we have this friendship for another 23 years and more if possible.