Delftsman

Update from Savannah

Well, after two relatively reasonable flights, and a 48 minute drive into the hinterlands of Georgia, I made it safe and sound to Catfish Manor. The old grouch was in Savannah, trying to get one of his quacks to tell him how much longer he'd have to suffer the aftereffects of his last stint in the OR, and as usual, they put him off with generalizations and promises that it would get better "soon"...

I walked up to the front door, rang the doorbell, and Nancy called out, to "come in, it's open". We had a nice talk, interupted several times from far-flung Jawja Bloggers wanting updates on the Memorial service tomorrow. About an hour later, Catfish strode into the front door with his voice booming out "any calls?" and then came and shook my hand.

Just as when I met Rob for the first time in Austin; there was an instant feeling of having known him for all my life, but even more so. Sometimes you're hesitant to meet old blog friends in RT; there is always the chance that you might be disappointed with the reality that differs from the picture you have built up in your mind, but such was not the case with Catfish or Nancy. They are both even better than what I had hoped to find.

Look up Southern Hospitality in the dictionary, and I'm positive you'll find their pictures at the top of that entry. There are few people I have ever instantly felt more comfortable with than Catfish. With him, what you see is what you get; with no pretensions of being anything but what he is, just a good ole boy with his feet planted firmly in reality, rough edges and all, and no apologies made for that.
I can see why Rob and he were such good friends. Catfish may not be as eloquent in speech and mannerisms, but they were both cut from the same cloth.

We have had confirmations from around the country of those that want to attend the Memorial service tomorrow, including Zonker and Stevie. I can hardly wait to see Zonker again, and meet the indomitable Miss Stevie for the first time; it's just terrible that it had to be under such tragic circumstances.

I hope that the Memorial will be suitably solemn as befits such an occasion, with the get together afterward as equally raucious, just as Rob would have wanted it to be. I have I feeling that all expectations will be met in both instances.

Posted by Delftsman3 at June 28, 2006 05:50 PM | TrackBack