When you round the last mark and are heading downwind towards the finish line of life it feels good to reflect back before that last gybe into the finish. One is reminded of just how long the racecourse has been while being determined to cross in good order, and fortunate not to have had to withdraw early from the race because of a breakdown.
So far so good with my good friend Nat Fuqua competing in this race of life. I estimate we met in 1970 when he moved into the neighborhood. The group of kids at the end of the cul-de-sac on Regatta Street in Huntington Beach were all very good athletes. We played every sport until the street lights came on each day. Baseball, football, street hockey we were all very competitive. Fuqua and I have memorable stories for each sport, at the end of the 8th grade, Nat moved out of the area and returned to graduate from Edison High in the last semester of our senior year. We attended our senior prom together and partied until the street lights were turned off. We attend Aerosmith, Cal Jam 2, Kiss, and Rolling Stones concerts, and have a great story about driving home in a big ass Cadillac from the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert.
Just out of High School Fuqua decided he wanted to be an airline pilot and started flying lessons. One weekend we decided we would fly to Palm Springs with a couple of dates for dinner. We got lost over the Salton Sea on our return home that night and spent the night in some small town on the Mexican border. Our dates thought we had this all planned as we only could afford a room with one double bed in it.
Fuqua soared into his flying career while I started to sail almost every day. We always thought how cool it would be if he flew over one of the boats I was on during a big race. He was my best man at my wedding while I was his best man. We stayed in touch over the years sometimes going years before hanging out again.
As we start this last downwind run towards the finish line of life the attached photos add thousand of words to our race reflecting on just how good it has been flying and sailing through life. We both toast each time we meet that neither of us has had to work day in our lives.
We are getting together this weekend for a type of bucket list Sunday. Fuqua purchased killer seats for the Cardinals/49’ers game followed up with front row center for ZZ Top that night. I bought us “Sharp dressed man” ZZ-Top Cowboy hats, some new cheap shades, and a little something for the football game. I’m so excited I think I pooped a little!
Sea ya
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| Bose 6th Grade |
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| Fuqua 6th Grade |
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| Bose 7th Grade |
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| Fuqua 7th Grade |
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| Bose 8th Grade |
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| Fuqua 8th Grade |
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| Hot for Teacher 8th Grade |
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| Senior Prom |
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| Fuqua Best Man at my Wedding |
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| Today |
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| ZZ Top May, 2022 |
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