it was yesterday. Sitting in middle school wondering how life would end before I was 50. Didn’t know how or wish it upon myself, I just knew at the time 50 was damned old and I’d never make it to that.

Well here I am. 65 and putting the wheels of retirement into high gear. Letters are being written to current and past customers. Others are being composed to the manufacturer of the products I’ve represented for nearly two decades. To many of my customers who are now, and have been my friends for so very long… you will be missed but never forgotten. To the manufacturer? I wish you would hadn’t forgotten who put the dinners out for you. It wasn’t your work, it wasn’t my work, it was and will always be the Mr Vails, the true friend Ken in AZ and so many others. You forgot them and shame on you. And I wasn’t able to convince you otherwise. Shame on me. You guys were chasing the almighty dollar. I wish I’d been more convincing. Time will prove me right or wrong. Talk is always so cheap.

So I’m off to settling down a little mentally but hopefully speeding up a bit physically. Packing the bug out bags for new adventures without the desire for the dollar, but for peace and understanding of Mother Nature, others and maybe a bit of myself in there somewhere.

And no. I didn’t forget my friend Bulleit for he would never forget about me.