George

You know how you have an Angel and Devil on your shoulders? Well imagine that in human form and that's George. He could make you believe night was day, when you were standing in sunshine, and it made no difference how long it took, he would still debate ya, til you finally wore out. He was also my "keep up with the Jones" friend. At Kemper, we were side by side in many things. I won't say neck and neck, as that implies that it was a race. I can't say it was a race, as that's comparing apples to oranges. George, in some ways was so far ahead of me, I thought I was ahead. At other times, I was ahead of him, but could see how close behind me he was. Trust me, those were few and far between.

And George was the con man that Harry Anderson was also. I have always wondered if they were related somehow. Anyway, he has also been another very loyal friend & companion. I could almost take a spinning back kick to him (and miss) because he had said something when I was on my last nerve. I say "almost" because I missed, but he will tell you he felt the breeze as he pulled back. And because I missed I ended up falling on my ass and then he jumped on top of me to clam me down.

He also was tall enough to almost hit his head in my car when we jumped the hills on hwy 87. As he said, had I not had the sun roof up, he would have.

And he was there at my mother's grave as a friend, companion and if need be, back up.

George is another friend I could always go to. He could go from silly to serious in 0.1 seconds flat. And his advice would come very soon after that, and it was usually (99 out 100 right George) be good, solid stuff. He always said that he could find that 1 time out of a 100 that the answer went the way he wanted it, and that's the side he could argue with.

His mom & dad and sisters are also some of the nicest, bestest people I know, and if there was a natural born musician, it is George. Another professional if I ever knew it.

Him and Bunch were the best of friends, and I was in there also, but he and Bunch had a that special relationship. No, not that kind. But the type where it is one special friend that you hang with, do things with and get in trouble with. I could do that with George, but on a different level.

As I have always said about George, I trust him with my life or anyone and anything that is very important to me. But if he said, "Here, try this." I wouldn't. I had mentioned this to him once, and he laughed, 'unless I said, no really.' I laughed harder, "ESPECIALLY if you said that, would I not do it."

I think the reason that George, Bunch and I were as close as we were as we were all of the same age, similar backgrounds, great parents and first musical chairs. I know I got that chair by default. When you are the only tuba, that's kinda of a gimme. But for those other two, it was also a no brainer. They were head and shoulders above the rest. As I said about Bunch, he went to band camps and was a professional and took it seriously. George came from a musical family and I don't think that not doing his best ever cam into the picture. He knew what had to be done and did it.

So here's to you George; or 'Lucifer.' One last thing about that. George always thought he got the worst in his platoon and I got the best; so he called me "St. Pete" and he was "Lucifer." While I disagree about who we got, the names stuck, but only between us. They never really caught on. But if I want to identify myself or hiself, he knows what I mean. That's a small thing, but I think a big thing in a friendship, that you have certain in jokes with your friends.

Thank you also just doesn't seem to be enough.