Friends are forever

'DOC' BLAKELY POKIN'

My friends Gordon and Pat, a married couple, both pillars in the community, have gone to Glory now but their memory lingers on because both were such characters. And beneath their wit was often such wisdom. Gordon once described the determination of a mutual acquaintance to me. He said, "If you told him to turn over a two-ton block of granite barehanded he'd tear it up or put a smell on it you couldn't rub off."

O n the other hand when I agonized over the decision to leave the security of a good job for the speculative speaking circuit he said, only after I asked for his thoughts, "Some people fail to see an opportunity until it ceases to be one," and "Doc, don't die with your music still in you." I knew if I failed he would say I didn't smell very much like granite.

Gordon's wife, Pat, was also a delight, always a smile and a great laugher. My wife's name is also Pat. One time my wife stopped her car along the road to pick some wild flowers. It was hot so she left the car running to air condition Princess, a big hyperactive dog. Princess was a cur but had such beautiful markings that people always asked her breed. I told them she was a Somali Collie Water Spaniel Airedale, which may not have been far from the truth. Anyway, a cat crossed the road and Princess went ballistic inside the car. In the process she stepped on the device that locks all the doors. My wife couldn't get Princess to repeat the trick to unlock them so she walked to the nearest house, which just happened to belong to Gordon and Pat. She knocked on the door. From inside a voice asked, "Pat, what'cha doin'?" My Pat answered, "I need to use your phone. I'm locked out of my car." The voice again said, "Pat, what'cha doin'?" This went on for several minutes until my wife discovered there was nobody home but the family parrot that had picked up Gordon's favorite question. Another neighbor

came to the rescue.

a t , wife of Gordon, taught Weight Watche r s classes

but admitted to a weakness for chocolate. She baked a chocolate pie under the pretense it was for Gordon but since he also had a sweet tooth she warned him of the evils of chocolamania. Gordon used amazing self control. He only ate one slice, a moderate one at that. About 2 a.m. Pat awoke and decided to check to see if Gordon had slipped in there and hit that pie again. He had not. Since that pie was calling her name she skimmed a little bite with a spoon. Soon, in a foggy daze, she realized that she had eaten the whole pie. There was only one solution to keep Gordon from knowing. She baked another pie. She carefully put it in the refrigerator, set the alarm an hour early and ate one more slice before breakfast.

Gordon marveled at Pat's self control as she served him a slice each night for a week, taking none for herself. Only the family parrot knew and for a change he wasn't talking, just making smacking sounds and licking his lips.

Doc Blakely is a humorist and motivational speaker who resides in Wharton.