I know these are usually reserved for famous people who have died. But I'd like to pay tribute to a great American who died yesterday 1/22/08. His name was Leon White. Leon was a decorated Vietnam Vet having recieved 3 Purple Hearts among other medals of valor. He was a father of two and had many friends. He will be sorely missed at the local watering hole where I came to know Leon. I took this picture a couple of years ago of the Beef Baron gang, Leon is second from the right. Leon was the kind of guy who you could trust with your lady when you weren't there. Leon was my Buddy, and is now working the nightshift. Hey Leon, save a couple of stools at that big bar in the sky for me and Lorri.
Leon is far left, that old fella in the middle is Hall of Fame Knuckle Baller Phil Niekro. He was in town to give a speech to the Lions Club. He took us out to his SUV to listen to his CD, the Phil Niekro Polka, he has it on constant loop. Niekro revealed that half the time he was pitching he was drinking. That night we all got plowed, the guy kneeling, Steve, is the biggest drunk in the place. Steve is such a Niekro fan that he insisted on driving Phil's drunk ass to his hotel to avoid a DUI. The thing is that Steve was the most bombed of all that night. That was a good night, and Niekro was a riot.
This song came out when my dog Ralphy Boy died. Best dog ever, I think this is a great song. http://youtube.com/watch?v=dlsfYDj2HWA
Sorry about your loss. <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/o2d2llB4oIQ&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/o2d2llB4oIQ&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
I was just explaining to my wife that someone's friend died, and my buddy put this video clip up as a tribute. I just referred to nutmeg as my buddy. whew. These type of people are my heroes. Nothing asked for. They just served. I know so many. I ran into a guy one night maybe ten years ago. He had nothing. Was so lonely. He took a piece of paper out of his wallet, and it was a commendation from the Marine Corps where he chased down ten enemy and saved his platoon. We're going to have a lot of those folks coming home and living among us in the next few years. I hope we treat them well and honor them a little better than the Leons were treated. I'm so sorry for your loss. Heartbreaking. So sorry.
Leon was that kind of guy, never talked about it. I knew him for years before I heard from someone else of his purple hearts. I just learned he was dead 3 days before they found him in his bed, lived alone.
Not a bad way to go. Think about all the shit he saw, and he got to go in his sleep. It ain't "old age", but it's a close second.
Seriously, Agent orange. He died of heart failure and complications from diabetes, but he was getting a big check every month from the government for Agent Orange related issues.