I know that I have mentioned my good buddy Jeff before. He and his wife Brenda took a few days off to accompany my bride and I as we had a few days to do some exploring of the Mighty Mississippi River and the towns that make up the South. I’m pretty sure that I told you about that trip. It was one of the highlights of my life.
I’ve been a lot of places on this earth and a lot of those were pretty cool, but this was one time I took the time to meet and talk to the inhabitants of those towns. Nothing went wrong and the sites were welcoming and the weather was perfect. Having Jeff and Brenda along just put the icing on the cake.
I hadn’t seen Jeff for many years and just sitting in a chair having a cocktail and discussing the past with them brought back so many memories. Jeff and I tried to remember all the parachute jumps we had made during our stint in the 82nd Airborne Division.
You know I have been writing about a lot of things since I have been allowed to tell you a little about my life — both in the Salinas Valley and the time spent in the military.
I was shocked by the phone call from Jeff’s wife. He had held my life in his hands each time we jumped together. I was told once by a senior non-commission officer that is part of why paratroopers are just a little bit crazy. Of course they aren’t, in fact they are trained better than most soldiers and understand their duties. I mean, who do you call if your chute doesn’t open? The men who command the paratrooper know that they have a serious duty. Of course they have to be serious because one slip and they are out of a job.
When you have been in touch with another person, one who actually holds your life in his hands every time you jump out of a plane, you take your duties very seriously. Oh! There are jokes and laughter, but no trainee wants to be the reason another soldier gets to the ground faster than anyone else. When the jump commands begin, you are there on the ground. You have duties that are serious and some that are not so serious, but you have to earn the right to tease any new paratrooper.
Each trooper has the equipment check of the man in front of them. The time for laughter and teasing is over as you check out each other’s parachute. Jeff and I met as he was a typist and I drove a jeep for the Battalion Commander. As we became closer, we became good friends. Part of that is because we both worked out of Battalion headquarters.
Truth be told, Jeff had a car — this was very important. It was a 1960 Buick with a crushed rear door that his dad had given him. I rode mostly in the back, but I learned there are many different uses for a crushed rear seat. As I write this, I am reminded of Jeff’s laughter and jokes. He could make anyone laugh and even if I had to polish his shoes, he thought that I was a little weird. I wanted to be the best soldier that I could and Jeff just wanted to finish out his time.
How do you explain how lifelong acquaintances are formed from a young man of 18 and develop into lifelong friendships that last over 60 years? But then, the phone rings and changes everything. I looked at the phone and thought it was strange that Jeff was calling since I had just talked to him yesterday. I said my hello and was shocked and curious to hear Brenda on the other end of the call.
I stood there in shock as Brenda through her tears told me that Jeff had passed away the night before. A thousand feelings on my part almost made me cry. I mean Jeff was the same age as me and we were both too young to die. What had happened? Brenda was distraught, but she didn’t want me to break down, so she quickly told me that he had passed without pain and it wasn’t a surprise to her. Jeff had complained the night before about his neck, which had been bothering him for a few days.
I just stared at the phone and kept thinking about our telling and retelling lies to each other as we sat on the back of the boat together. So many emotions flooded my mind, and as I sit here today, all I can say is how grateful I am. Grateful that I was able to introduce Lorraine to one of my oldest friends and that she was able to make a new friend in Brenda.
Jeff was one of a kind, and I mean that in every sense. I was so happy to share stories, watch our families grow and just have that person who knew me when we were young. Those relationships are so important, and I know many of you know what I mean. Keep them close and never forget those special moments that you have shared.
This has been a difficult column to write, but you have shared the ups and downs of my life. Writing this column has been therapeutic and has also given me a biography of my life. The hope is that my children, grandchildren and beyond will have some perspective of who I am. Time is a funny thing. It shows you that it keeps moving forward. No matter what is happening we need to continue to look ahead.
Jeff, you will be missed, but I know that you are keeping everyone in stitches in that big parachute in the sky. Love you, Man.
God Bless.
