Semper Fidelis

~"The Naval Intelligence Officer who owned the property in TN had spent several years – along with a number of others in the area raising their families out of luxury RV’s and tour buses, home schooling their children and traveling the country before settling in this part of TN and settling down – and buying their dream.? This made perfect sense to me. This is a life style that is highly acceptable in the Keys and many other coastal communities – and something I had been interacting with on a practical basis for some time. The RV, would be a good beta test – if it didn’t kill me.?

“You need to buy the 450 – not the 350…..the 450 has a tighter turning radius than the 350 – and with where you like to go – you are going to need that.”? “Big Ed” as he was called was giving me practical advice on how to take the next steps in my life. And had offered to help. I was trying to lay down and die and he was trying to stand me up. He was a Marine. He was a big motherf*cker too. Marine’s will never tear you down – and they won’t let you tear you down. ? Marines are builders – and ass kickers. He listened. I mean he listened to what I was saying to him – and retained certain key pieces of information that told me he got it. The way Marine’s get it. They are constructors. It's a mindset.

I was on my way back into town from Colorado when I originally met Ed. Another shithole Missouri River bar – full of good old boys……..he was an imposing figure.? And he BARKS – like Vene. If he doesn’t like you – you’re f*cked.? He’ll let you know it.? Probably like Vene.

He was an airplane mechanic at the local Spirit of St. Louis Airport down in the Chesterfield Bottoms – not far from where the Schoolhouse Tavern and the White House used to be.? He drank 24 beers a day, smoked like a chimney and was packing a few hundred pounds too many and had failed anger management classes a few times.? But Big Ed – was “Big Sexy”.? He wasn’t always that big and according to the pics I had seen from his days in the service - was smoking hot back when he was still humping it with the rest of the grunts. He had a personality that reflected it when you got him in his zone. I need Big Ed to be in his zone more. That’s who he really is.? Ed had a heart attack. The widow-maker. Of course he did.? Ed did everything big. Ed didn’t widow-make.? Much to his surprise. He’s taking better care of himself.? I’m looking forward to the day when I can park my RV next to Ed’s on a mountain side somewhere. I have a few stories to share." ~grit, unpublished, unedited