Originally posted by savoche A real friend is one who'll help you move a body.
Yep, that's a real friend....it's what makes Otis special!
We have friends and we have acquaintances. Then we have "brothers by another mother". Most of us have few of those in a lifetime. I've had a few, very few, those don't come often.
Old Howard.....He worked for me for years when I worked for a housing dealership that sold Mobile Homes/Pre-Fab Homes and did housing developments. I ran the service dept and Howard was my best employee. He looked like an old mountain man, wore a hat with a rattlesnake head on the front, had a heavy beard and was damn scary looking. When I sent him out to a new customer I often called in advance to advise that he was the best, and also the most caring and kind-hearted they would find. They always requested Howard again if needed......he was all of those things and more.
Howard did not like the owner, with good reason, and it was no secret. He would not miss a chance to shoot him the "bone" if the owner waved to him while passing in his big Mercedes or to tell him to intercourse himself if he got the opportunity. Complete and total insubordination. The owner demanded I fire Howard more than a few times and I always refused....Howard goes and I go, and everyone else in this dept goes with us. Since we made him a ton of money, and were key to his operations, he relented as often as he asked.
When my youngest son graduated college I left to go back on my own. Howard tried to go with me, but I convinced him to stay and the boss to just try to work with him. Howard was making more than I could pay him and the boss needed him more than he realized. Six months later the boss called me and asked me to drop by. He said Howard was the best employee he had ever had and thanked me over and over for not taking him with me. He had learned "Howard's ways".
We were always close friends inside and outside of work......and he was that "brother" friend. The kind with no secrets, no hedging on the truth, and no need for an apology for who you are, even in disagreement.
One night years ago when I was a drinker, I got in a discussion with some "friends" about what that meant. It was a little after 2am on a Sat night. I picked up the phone and called Howard. I was fairly well loaded...something that we did back in those days.....
Howard answered....."Howard, I got drunk and was mad, got lost and turned around and just kept driving all day and night. I'm out here in the desert of Arizona and I'm broke and my truck broke down. It's cold and I can't even buy a cup of coffee."
"Jim, it may take me a few minutes to get my boots on and get dressed, but I'm on my way...give me some directions."
He was dead serious. Howard died unexpectedly about 12 years ago...was buried with his rattlesnake hat on....not a day goes by that I don't miss him.
Get rid of bodies? You betcha!
Regards!