Damn! My turn for bad news.

[onager]

Our little group sure is getting walloped this week!

I'm still shocked. Just before leaving work today, I heard that my former boss died in his sleep a couple of nights ago.

He was a crusty old bastard from the Bronx, raised Jewish but about as indifferent to religion as I am. He started in the company when management was dominated by Mormons and did not have an easy time climbing the corporate ladder. Luckily, he hung in so long that he not only knew where all the corporate bodies were buried, but had personally helped to fling some of them in the graves.

Once, I'm told, a Recently Promoted Junior Executive Fuckhead mused over breakfast that he might shitcan our entire development team to save money.

What he didn't know was that The Boss was funding us out of his own "discretionary" management money, and took a VERY personal interest in what we were doing.

According to the story, The Boss just casually said something like: "You can probably do that, at your level. But at my level, I can guarantee you'll go out the door right behind them."

End of that threat.

I'll miss that guy, a lot.

THEN...I got an e-mail telling me that one of my favorite cousins, a usually smart 9-yr-old girl, broke her arm "stair surfing." (As her mother said in the e-mail: "Don't ask.")

That naturally put a screeching halt to all the summertime fun for kids that age.

As I told her Mom in my reply: we all do goofy things as kids, but a broken arm sure is a high price to pay for a little goofiness.

Ah well. She hasn't changed much. A few years ago, watching her and her older sister was pretty simple:

Lots of noise: all is normal, carry on.
"W-A-A-H!": the sisters are fighting, all is normal, carry on.
Older Sister is silent: she's reading, sleeping or watching TV. All is normal, carry on.
Younger Sister is silent (the Stair Surfer): call 911 immediately.

[beam me up scottie]

1. I'm awfully sorry to hear that.

A terrible loss, I'm sure to all that knew him.
Your former boss sounds like somebody I would have liked very much.
He reminds me of my Top in the Motor Pool.
Crusty old men who will do anything for one of their own are getting scarcer all the time.

:patriot:

Hopefully, someday, you'll be one and make him proud.

And also sorry about your cuz' misfortune.
Stair surfing!
Ouch!
( I think I did that when I was 5; we used a cardboard box )
Sounds like it'll be one of those stories that will be hysterically funny sometime in the future.
Like maybe after she graduates from college...


Tough week for family and old friends, eh?
:hug:

[salvorhardin]

3. crusty old men

You've got that right BMUS. Crusty old men who'll do anything for ya are in short supply.

Sorry about your old boss onager. He sounds like the kind of guy I would have liked and admired.

[Gelliebeans]

2. Onager, that sucks.

I am sorry about your boss. :(

As for your cousin, I hope she had the best time before the fall. Lessons in life are sometimes very hard on our bodies. In fact the best hockey game I played where I had the most fun was the game I broke my collerbone. :rofl: (don't even ask)
As parents always say, "It's all fun and games until someone pokes an eye out"

hope she is feeling ok. :)

[onager]

4. Thanks, everybody!

:hi:

Stair Surfer is ok, but the broken arm is playing hell with her swimming. I'm sure her sister isn't gloating from the pool. :eyes: