The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => General Board => Topic started by: Ricker on May 17, 2017, 10:06:25 PM

Title: Tomorrow might be too late
Post by: Ricker on May 17, 2017, 10:06:25 PM
We all know that grumpy old guy that has always lived down the road or across town.  My old guy moved to town in 1980. He had the bug shield that literally said grumpy across his truck.  I was 14 and he sure looked grumpy to me. I drove by his house probably 35,000 times over years and we never acknowledged the other existed and he very seldom had visitors from what I could tell and the last 20 yrs I lived half mile down the road.

Summer of 2015 I bought 20 acres half a mile beyond his house to set the mill up permanent.  He stopped out by the road and watched me saw for an hour.  The next day he pulls in and asks about sawing 2 logs for him, which I did. For the next 2 years he would stop by the mill just about every day I was there. Maybe 15 minutes maybe 3 hours. I would stop by his garage where he often puttered or just sat watching the world of our dirt road go by and we talked about every subject you can imagine, loaned tools to each other, traded brook trout for fiddleheads. 

This past saturday I was headed to town and I,stopped and ask if he needed anything. We chatted a few minutes and off I went. He wasn't out later in the day and it rained sunday and Monday so he wasn't outside.  Tuesday morning I pick up my IPad look at the local paper online and there he was in the obituaries.  I went down to see his wife and she said that 10 minutes after I left she went outside to see what he was doing, they talked and he collapsed and that was that, massive heart attack.  We talked and she said that he considered me a good friend he filled her in on what was up every time we crossed paths and told anyone in the family who would listen about the mill, how it worked and things I had sawn. 

She thanked me for making the time for him and never making him feel like he was under foot.  She said he felt that someone was interested in what he had to say and valued his advise for the first time in many years.

Sorry for the way too long post. I guess the point of it is that it's never too late to talk to that old neighbor and see what you have been missing. Could do you both some good. But tomorrow might be too late. I will miss my friend.
Title: Re: Tomorrow might be too late
Post by: paul case on May 17, 2017, 10:10:40 PM
 smiley_thumbsup

PC
Title: Re: Tomorrow might be too late
Post by: newoodguy78 on May 17, 2017, 10:15:32 PM
Well put and sorry for your loss.
Title: Re: Tomorrow might be too late
Post by: Jeff on May 17, 2017, 10:26:12 PM
I'm glad you two became friends. Sounds like it made life a bit better for both of you.
Title: Re: Tomorrow might be too late
Post by: thecfarm on May 18, 2017, 05:29:42 AM
A good friend is hard to lose.
Title: Re: Tomorrow might be too late
Post by: Chuck White on May 18, 2017, 07:23:01 AM
Nice Ricker, ya done good!
Title: Re: Tomorrow might be too late
Post by: Ricker on May 18, 2017, 07:33:23 AM
Like Jeff said we were both better for it.  He taught me plenty in a short time.
Title: Re: Tomorrow might be too late
Post by: WV Sawmiller on May 18, 2017, 07:55:18 AM
Ricker,

   I'm sorry for your loss. Glad you had the time and experience to meet and better understand your friend. I grew up with an old mentor who used to annoy many of the neighbors but he was as close or closer to me than either grandfather largely because I had the chance to spend more time and learn more from him than from them.
Title: Re: Tomorrow might be too late
Post by: Magicman on May 18, 2017, 08:56:41 PM
Thanks for the story.  It reminded me of the old black man, Johnny, that watched me build the original portion of the Cabin.  He and my Dad had grown up together and were good friends.  After Dad died, I guess that I became his interest.  He never offered any suggestions or anything, just sat, watched, and admired what I was building....all alone.  We would sit and talk about "old times" but I wish that I had asked many more questions.  Sadly, he was the last of that generation.