One shot of the painted desert, the rest did not do so good. We passed the painted desert and The petrified Forest, we have been there so we didn't slow down.

Now we are headed toward a meeting I have thought of for a long time. There was a time as a youngster; I thought we would never part. It was so much fun. It was the mid fifties. VonDale and I had met in1950 at a church my dad pastored. I met Buddy a few years later. My Dad moved us to Belmont, NC. Von Dale’s Dad moved him to Mecklenburg County, just across the Catawba River from us. Richard (Buddy) happened to live in Stanley which was about 15 miles away. When we could all get together, it was a blast. Mostly it was just cruising around in my ’48 Chev. Convertible or Tuck’s Dad’s ’48 Fleetline. Of course there was no A/C in the cars then so we rode around with the radio playing and the windows down if it was Tuck’s car. If it was mine the top was down. We all sneaked cigarettes then, and thought it was cool.



MY dad and Richard’s dad, were preachers. Von Dale’s dad was a church leader and General Contractor. We had a bond that has lasted for years. I see Tucker (Vondale) at least once a year, but I haven’t seen nor had any real contact with Richard (Buddy) since 1956. We have so much to catch up on.

I was different, but my buddies were tough guys. I have seen Tuck fight (always win) to defend ‘our’ honor. Tuck was a long lasting, hang in there, rough and tumble guy and he would be the one standing in the end. Buddy on the other hand was a get it over with now. I was always amazed at his ‘quickness’; he could hit a guy twice before the guy knew what was happening. He was always the one standing too. Me? Hey, I am a lover, I watched a lot. Seldom was I ‘involved’. HA! But boy I could cheer and make sure it was what we used to call, ‘a fair fight’.


Of course scrapping was less than 1% of our relationship. We had something others only wished they had, or at least that is the way I always saw it. When my first girl dropped me, she fell for Buddy. Tucker was always with Marta, I started going with Sherry. We were Friends.


We got older (16.5). I still don’t know what happened, but no one would not join the USMC with me. I had another friend, Sammy Waters; I talked him into rejoining with me and to show me how to get in underage. They took Sam and sent me home until I was 17. At 17, I still could not convince anyone to join with me, so I went alone. Tuck & Buddy continued close, at home, until Buddy moved to Mississippi. Soon Marta and Tuck split, While I was on a cruise Tuck Married Rose. I will learn soon where Buddy found his love.

Anyway, if you read Sticky, Rags or S’Gar. Buddy was the inspiration for the character ‘Buddy’ in the books.
He has forgiven me for using his name in vain (I think). We are both so looking forward to this.

(Lots of tourist stuff)

Wondering about the pictures? This is what we were seeing crossing Arizona to get to New mexico where Buddy has settled down.

Beautiful landscapes.

Love these below, notice the holes in the rock, Birds roost and nest here, not much danger of snakes getting the eggs.

New Mexico, Not far from our meeting.

Ahhh, but then there are the small things, flat tires that must be fixed!!! Yeah She is getting one fixed, in Grants, NM.

Nite Shipslog

PS:
To know my feelings, you must have a person or persons, whom you know as a ‘FRIEND IN CAPITOL LETTERS’.