I don’t (or at least try not to) post much on Facebook. Too many like to air out their laundry on Facebook and some like to share filth. Facebook’s only saving grace for me is the ability to have some form of connection with friends and family that otherwise I would be virtually clueless to their lives. I enjoy reading about others triumphs, successes and seeing the triumphs and success of their kids and grandkids. My cousin, Laura Crowder Smith is always posting about family, her and Matthews kids and never ever a negative posts, such as it should be. So in the spirit of sharing and being positive, I felt compelled to share a story/event that happened with me yesterday of a person whose path crossed with mine in life and that I carry a profound respect and admiration for…….. My Grandpa Hopkins once said “If you get through life and you can count all of your true friends on one hand, you are a blessed man”. I don’t think I will fully realize the validity of that statement until perhaps my final days but I do know it has more meaning to me now than it did when I heard it at a much younger age. Of course, we all have acquaintances and relationships in life outside of friendship, you know, people we meet along life’s journey and in that theme this is a story I want to share in regards to one of those relationships A bit of background if I may……………We have a customer who came to us at Patriot in early 2003. His name is Dean Newman and not to be disrespectful but I will refer to him here as I do in our relationship as Dean. I can’t tell you specifically Deans’ age but he was in his 70’s when we met and today is in his late 70’s or maybe even early 80’s. I connected with Dean immediately upon meeting him as he reminded me so much of my Grandfather. Maybe it was initiated by the fact he was a truck driver like my Grandfather was who drove a truck from the time he was thirteen years old to his retirement and with not one chargeable accident. Or perhaps it was his age, appearance or mannerisms? Perhaps it was simply my respect I have for those generations before me and their respective value systems that I hope to possess and reflect as I grow older and I aspire to possess and exhibit even today? Perhaps it was the way he took care of his equipment from its appearance and functionality to its safety. Dean never asked “how much will it cost”?, he just wanted it to be fixed right if you know what I mean. Dean had farmed in North Dakota as I recall and eventually sold his farm and decided to drive a truck as he had operated his own trucks on the farm. At one point he actually sold the truck and trailer he owned when we met and once again, he retired. It wasn’t long thereafter Dean showed up at Patriot one day with a brand new Peterbilt tractor with all of the bells and whistles you can possibly put on one, much like the one he had just sold along with a brand new hopper bottom grain wagon. Dean was always with his equipment like he was with his value system, he simply wanted to be and represent the best that he possibly could and he did so in the way he represented himself both personally and professionally. Dean had a dedicated run out to California and back through North Dakota and then back to Texarkana, a run that would make any truck owner or company proud to have and I was always impressed with how he was, as a single truck with his own operating authority, and previously retired operator able to achieve a run like that which also was very profitable for him. A 5,000 mile run every week he chose to make it and on occasion his wife would make the circuit with him. Dean never ceased to impress me in every way and my respect and admiration grew for him every time we talked and to this day he reminds me more and more of Grandpa Hopkins and perhaps in a symbolic way has helped to fill a void just from having known him. I am certain Dean is liked by all who meet him because he is just that kind of person but he and I, at least from my perspective have enjoyed a special relationship. Just a year or so ago, I can’t recall exactly when, Dean eventually sold his truck and trailer and once again for at least the third time to my knowledge retired and lives on some land he purchased after leaving North Dakota out in the vicinity of De Kalb, Texas. Yesterday, Wednesday November 6th I was working in the parts room and lo and behold who comes walking through the door unannounced but my old friend Dean. WOW, it was such a pleasant surprise to see him and accept a firm handshake from this man. I ceased everything I was doing and took a moment to visit. We both inquired about the other’s life and exchanged recent events. Dean informed me of his recent and current battle with cancer. He summarized his battle and informed me he was doing well and nearing completion of his treatment and that all was going to be OK. I told him of my sister Dallis Cummings Parker battles with cancer and what I had learned not only about cancer but also about the attitude and determination I have witnessed with Dallis in order to beat it. I told Dean that if anyone could beat it that there was not any individual that was as capable as he was of winning. We visited a bit more and bid our farewells. I told Dean yesterday that he always reminded me of my Grandfather. In retrospect I wish I had been more assertive in trying to express to him what he has meant to me in the short time we have known one another. In his departure he told me “I just wanted to stop in and see you. I have always admired you”. His comment is by far the greatest compliment I think I have ever received. Admiration?, I wouldn’t expect that from anyone but coming from Mr. Newman really struck a chord. As he made this comment he turned and walked out of the parts room and, I hope and pray that I am wrong, but I just had this feeling that this would be the last time I would ever see Dean and this was his way of saying good bye. I became misty eyed as I watched him go through that door AND after just hearing him say what he did. I’ve not been able to get this off of my mind and I wish in retrospect that I had had grabbed him by the arm and offered a hug and told him I loved him. How many customers can you say that about? Dean is much more than a customer and while we never went fishing, racing or even out to lunch with one another, Dean will always be my friend. This sharing is not intended to be shared as something sad. I share it as a great human interest story and how you just never know how you might influence a life or how another human might influence yours. It is funny how our paths cross in life sometimes and how as it is in this case that mine and Deans’ paths in life just happen to have crossed and how we obviously in some way had a unique impact on one another. Coincidence? I think not.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Nov 2014 03:32:17 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015