A picture from the Past.
A short time friend and Shipmate, Frank Malanowski 1967-1969
I took this picture at the Acropolis in Athens
What a change, I received a call 55 years later, "this is Ski. Can I come over? I just live a mile away here in Deltona!
He was then a ProtoDeacon in the Orthodox Church. You never know what a drinking buddy and friend will become...... Ski has since passed away, but man was it fun reminiscing about our time in Naval Intel.
For Today:
Since Dad was a pastor, I was
never in one school more than 3 years. So I really had no early childhood
friends. At 9-10 yrs old I met my friend Vondale. At 15 I met Buddy (Richard) we have sorta stayed in contact. All three of
us took different paths. Vondale was
born to be a businessman and was successful in a couple of businesses.
Above is Buddy with the beautiful Di. Not sure who the guy on the right is, but I think he has been waiting a long time for a dance with Di!
Buddy, joined the USAF. Later
spent a stint with the Texas Highway Patrol, but like me, he heard the call of
the military, so he went back in and retired.
There is Dallas. I have mentioned
him several times, on the Blog. We met in the Corps. We were 17/18 yrs old and have stayed in
contact. I do regret that I have not
lived near these GREAT guys in our adult lives.
That closeness I still feel
and know if I needed anything all I would have to do is ask; I hope they know I
feel the same for them.
My adult friend was a
BIL. Sonny and I were so much alike but
different, he lived and died within a mile of his raising. He Democrat, me GOP. He was pro Union, I was not. BUT we could sure
work together.
With our wives we took a trip across
the USA together, then back to the Bad Lands area later. We drove to Nova Scotia. We were close. He
died and left me.
(Sonny and I having a Saspirilla(?) in the Long Branch in Dodge City, did not see Miss Kitty)
He was married to Colette (Sherry’s sister). After Colette passed Sonny and I were in a
car together. I tell everyone this: I know how it feels to lose loving Parents, Brothers and sisters. But
I cannot imagine the feelings in losing a mate. (I still remember the exact
spot on the street and traffic light where he said this.) “You probably think I am the worst Christian
in the world. I know ministers and many tell me Colette is better off. No pain,
no tears and all that; BUT I DON’T CARE, I WANT HER BACK WITH ME!”
Collette and Sonny, she had to protect her eyes, she suffered from dry eyes.
We were grown men crying. I
assured him ‘I may not understand how you feel, but I am sure I would feel the
same.’
I think I have written this
before, but RECENTLY STEVE, Sonny’s SON, lost HANK, his best friend. They had
known each other since childhood. He
called me to say, “Now I understand how you felt every time you told me that you
thought of Daddy EVERY DAY and missed him.
Yes, NOW I REALLY DO UNDERSTAND!!”
I have not had a lot of friends, but I have some good ones, how about you, are you fortunate?
NiteShipslog
PS:
Thanks AGAIN to you
all for stopping by the Shipslog..