It was taken down by the wind in the last line of thunder showers that came through. Apparently an ant-hill near its base had weakened the roots and the wind toppled it. As I was cleaning up the remains Janet stepped from the house and informed me that our friend Al Watson had passed in the night. Unfortunately I only get to see Al one maybe two times a year. I was looking forward to this years installment or perhaps “fix” would be more appropriate.

I am lucky, I get to see people at their best – their happiest – their most relaxed, but I don’t think that that was a factor with Al. Even when it was cold and pissing down rain on a fishing trip he had a shit eating grin on his face. Al was a fun magnet. He would attract the fun to any situation and you’d get sucked in too. Before you realized it there was a party going on with everyone as grinning and as happy as Al. He had an odd penchant for hand held self portraits with the digital camera. The eastern mystics like to blow smoke up a person’s ass by saying  – “You’re an old soul.” Well Al wasn’t an “old soul” he was a young soul! He saw things with the brightness and positive perspective of a kid – a young man. To hell with being an old soul I wanna be a young soul like Al. I think that Al had the secret to eternal youth – a young soul. Al was a catalyst, a jovial sort, a good fisherman, a good father, an outdoors-man, a friend and my brother (I knew it even before Jeff started calling me uncle Jack). He is sorely missed – I feel as though I’ve been kicked in the gut. But I warm myself with the memories I share with him and my aspirations to achieving young soul status.