we have been on a death watch for a couple weeks now. I have thought of not much else for some time now. Never mind metell about the guy. He was a good guy and was with my mom for twenty-seven years, good years. It took her a few tries to find a good man, I am so glad she did. Now he is gone. Well, I took my favorite flight sim and went for a fly in the place that man liked best, the Upper Fraser Valley, in British Coumbia, Canada. I went and flew over his favorite fishing hole and a couple places where he liked to go for coffee and pie. The guy would drive a hundred miles for good coffee and pie. When I first met him, he was forty, 2 meters tall and had all of his hair, he wasn't wrinkly,had a deep commanding voice and was as calm as The Buddha. The guy had class. When he went down, about a month ago, I knew he wouldn't want anyone, except his wife, my mom, to be hanging about crying over him, the man was proud. He loved powerful cars, he wasn't a flyer,he didn't care too much about airplanes, but I do. So, I took a Spitfire up and flew about my virtual BC and remembered him. He was 74. Donald Elliot Cunningham Chilliwack, British Columbia and it's river, upstream is Don's favorite place, where he would sit, quietly and wait for fish to come to his hook.It didn't matter if he caught a fish,what mattered was the sitting quietly. And coffee And pie Ascending on the wings of angels, Don looks to his right and sees two mighty mountains, Baker and Cheam. He is ascending over [unseen], Slesse Mountain, at the foot of which, was his favorite fishing hole. Mounts Baker, Cheam and Slesse. Slesse is the one without any snow, below. Just by the right wing there, below,is the Chillwack River. This river contains millions of fish Don allowed to get away. It also is where he and my mom went campin, the had a cabin up that river, at Slesse Park [named after the mountain, above]. I am so worried about my mom.
Damn. Thought I know good words and I have something to say, but half a minute later realized they were plain stupid. The best thing she can do is to let him live... in her memories.
When I go, if I have made 1/10 of people happy that Don made happy, I will have lived a complete and good life. My mom is 67. I hope she does not think this is The End for her. I don't think she will, her and her Don were parents and grandparents, also, and MUST have talked about this. For many many years, that guy thought I did not like him. He was so so wrong. And I thought he didn't like me. I was ashamed every time I saw him, ashamed of myself, where I have gone, what little I have made of my life. So I was sort of a liar, a braggart, hiding where I have been and what I was up to, making things up, so everything would look much better..... So I would look, to him, like more of a man. A man. A man more like him, more of a man. And my shame showed, I bumbled about, would shoeup with dirty boots and patched jeans and talk about how cool everything is... I thought he figured I was failed, not much of a man. Well, apparently, he never thought about people in those sorts of ways. He was most pleased when I went into the bush to live. I thought I was failed. I thought it was some sort of END of a thing and could see nothing ahead of me [But the living is too good where the fish are biting]. When I came out of the bush, muscular, tanned and healthy, he told me he WISHED HE COULD HAVE GONE and done those things. He had too many responsibilities, not enough time,but enough monsy,yes,he could go where he wished,if he wished AND if he had time... WHich is kinda funny, see? I could GO into the bush for a couple months and just waste time. He couldn't. He didn't. Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. Soon deleted. No one wants to read these laments. Sorry.
In some cases we disagree such as DP ( oh well you already know who I am ) but in many, although I very seldom reply, our thoughts are same. <Salute>
Not sure who you are. I DO know your nick, said backwards, is pronounced "Cabbage." My son said, a long long time ago, whlie looking over a fallen bird, "The old ones die so we will have room for the babies." He was three when he told me that. His Grumpa loved him so much [yep, all our babies called him "Grumpa"]. I hope there are hungry trout, good roads, and pie and coffee where he has gone.
Biles, I think you're a good man, and you really moved me there, please don't delete the post. You made me think of my father and my grandfather, and about being a man and what it means, these things are needed. Your mum will be alright, I am sure.
Thoughts and heart to you Biles. Peace friend. Revere in the memories. Therein lies immortality. But you already know that wise friend. See to the women. They suffer horribly each loss.
