Sunday, December 04, 2005

My pleasure



This afternoon I had the distinct pleasure to meet "Old Horsetail Snake", Ol Hoss, Gene Maudlin for a few drinks and chit chat. We wanted to chase the ladies but were too broke and too lazy to run the race so we settled for "Alibi chicken". He first sent me an invite over the Thanksgiving weekend to meet and see if we could down a few cold drinks and devour one of his favorite meals. We met, we ate and I think, we made a new friendship.

He was a soft spoken gentleman, who recently was widowed the week before Thanksgiving. Beside a couple daughters and a son he is left with the blogger society. A group we both agreed was meant for both of us. The only flaw in the ointment was his wearing a Northern Illinois' sweatshirt when the green and yellow of the Oregon Ducks is hanging on every coat hanger in Salem.

He told me a little of his prior adventures as a reporter for the now defunct Capital Journal and of his wordsmithing for a couple of Oregon's political legends. Though the lunch meeting only lasted a little over an hour I felt I had met a man I had yearned to meet for most of my adult life. Struggling with his recent lose and his health, his smile and sparkingly nice eyes, told me a lot of him.

No sweet lil sister he is not an axe murderer. He is a man I was destine to meet and enjoy. If he was a couple years younger I am confdent I'd be writing this post from Marion County's finest cells. Arrested for bringing life and a coat of red to the city.

To Gene "Ol Hoss" it was my pleasure for sure.