Funny story

[bob perry]

Tomorrow is Max's birthday and he and his family are up in Victoria staying at the Grand Pacific Hotel, a very nice joint. For his birthday I called last night, upgraded his room to a suite and paid for everyutbhing in advance. He just called and said it was the nicest hotel room he had ever stayed in.

But this got me to thinking about years ago when Spike said he and his buddy Sean wanted to take a vacation together. They were probably 16 years old at the time. They decided to take the train to Vancouver and stay there for couple of nights. We said fine and we gave him a credit card and wished him well. I advised him not to just get off the train and check into the first hotel or motel they came to. I know where the train station is in Vancouver and there are some seedy hotels around there. I sugested they take their time and check out a few places before deciding on a hotel.

Saturday night the phone rang at home. It was Spike. He sounded very happy. I asked how the hotel was. He said it was great. I asked him if he looked around and found a decent one. He said yes and they were very happy with the hotel. It had a swimming pool. I asked him what the name of the hotel was. He said, "The Four Seasons."

Oh.
That's my boy.

[BeauV]

I LOVE IT! Ya, I have kids like that too. St. Regis - no problem if Dad's buying!

[bob perry]

Beau:
I'm not sure Spike and Sean gave it that much thought. Spike probably said to Sean, "Dad said to find a nice hotel and this one looks nice." Simple as that. Looking back I'm glad they did it. We did have a little talk about it later but I was never mad a him for that. Pretty much can't remember ever being mad at him for anything serious. Lucky I guess. My wife was going through some of his clothes in the garage today. We have been unable to get rid of all of them. Can't imagine where she found the strength to do it today but she did. Spike's clothes and Max checking into the suite I booked for him and the fam in Victoria just brought that story back to me.

[BeauV]

Bob, we just blew a wad taking all the kids, their spouses/SOs/whatevers and the ever lovely Miss Maddison to Hawaii. It was a silly amount of money, but it was a trip that none of us will ever forget. I'm sure Spike had a great time and at the end of our run here on Earth we all end up broke anyway so what the hell. My kids have been told since they were tiny tots that they were getting an education and a lot of love and that was it (well, I have been paying for daughters getting married). If they had any doubts, us buying SEA DOG should have removed them.

I can't think of a better way to spend money than on making folks you love happy.

I can't really imagine what it would feel like to loose a kid. With our oldest son headed off to the Marine Corp at the end of September we're trying not to think about that too much. I do lay awake at night wondering what I could tell him that would help, and concluding there isn't a damn thing. I only hope that telling us stories like this, which are really great, helps a bit to keep Spike's memory alive.

I didn't get a picture, but you should know that the Spike burgee sailed in the Delta Ditch run from Richmond to Stockton.

[bob perry]

Thanks Beau and congrats to your marine son. I think the only thing you can do is to make double sure that there is no doubt whatsoever in his mind that he is admired and loved. With my ids I taught them very early that, "I'm your Dad and I expect a kiss goodnight and a kiss goodbye." I told them about when I was a kid in junior high my best bud was Tom Falcone, good Italian American family. Tom's Dad, Mike, always kissed Tom goodnight and goodbye. I know it embarrassed Tom but you know what? I was jealous. My Dad never kissed me. So I told mmy kids, "You're going to get a kiss whenever I feel like it." I explained the whole thing to them and they never complained. My grandpa, Angelo Dante Guiseppi Nanelli would be proud of me.

So, send you kid off knowing he is loved. If you never see him again you can rest knowing that he always knew how much you loved him.
But fuck that. He's coming home a bit beat up and a real man but alive and full of great stories.
You should be exceedingly proud of you son. Hell, I'm proud of your son. I'd like a photo of him in uniform when it's not too much trouble. I'm going to put it over my work station here.

Bob P.

[BeauV]

Bob,

Thanks for the congrats - I am really proud of him. He's always been a Marine Corp sort of kid, an Eagle Scout, and generally took care of all his friends. He did the college thing, then he went and got a great job on Wall St. as an investment banker, and was utterly and totally miserable. A year ago we were sailing together and he basically said: "Dad, I'm making a lot of money and it doesn't mean anything to me. I'm going to give this a shot because it makes a difference and I feel it's important." I told him it was great with me, it was his call and I'd support him 200%.

Our other son has been trying to become a fireman for about two years, interviewing all over the place, but there aren't any jobs in California with the budget cuts. There's a pattern here and I'm damned if I know how it happened. Both of these guys have always wanted to take care of folks, even folks they don't know, since they were little boys. Their just wired up that way.

All this has worried Stacey and me a lot, but as I'm writing this note I used the Bob Perry HTFU mug and made a cup-a-tea. I suppose it should have some put Rum in it, but I do look at your mug (the one with your mug on it and think we have to just HTFU and support these two doing what they really really want to do.

Thanks again for the kind words, and like you I kiss my kids every chance I get. There is no escape! Of course the granddaughter things that's just what Opa does.

BV

[LarryHoward]

Bob,

Thanks for the congrats - I am really proud of him. He's always been a Marine Corp sort of kid, an Eagle Scout, and generally took care of all his friends. He did the college thing, then he went and got a great job on Wall St. as an investment banker, and was utterly and totally miserable. A year ago we were sailing together and he basically said: "Dad, I'm making a lot of money and it doesn't mean anything to me. I'm going to give this a shot because it makes a difference and I feel it's important." I told him it was great with me, it was his call and I'd support him 200%.

Our other son has been trying to become a fireman for about two years, interviewing all over the place, but there aren't any jobs in California with the budget cuts. There's a pattern here and I'm damned if I know how it happened. Both of these guys have always wanted to take care of folks, even folks they don't know, since they were little boys. Their just wired up that way.

All this has worried Stacey and me a lot, but as I'm writing this note I used the Bob Perry HTFU mug and made a cup-a-tea. I suppose it should have some put Rum in it, but I do look at your mug (the one with your mug on it and think we have to just HTFU and support these two doing what they really really want to do.

Thanks again for the kind words, and like you I kiss my kids every chance I get. There is no escape! Of course the granddaughter things that's just what Opa does.

BV

Beau,

Be very proud of both of your sons. Bob is spot on. Never let them leave without letting them know they are loved and supported. What branch of the Corps will you son be joining? I expect you'll be visiting Quantico at some point. Let us Right Coast folks know when you'll be around.

As to the Firefighter, that is a very tough career to break into. A friend's son from the LA area tried for years and finally got hired in Las Vegas (before the bust). He's having a rewarding career and enjoying himself but the road to that first job is not easy or short.

[BeauV]

Larry,

My oldest will go to OCS for the Marine Corp starting at the end of Sept. He is not sure where he'll end up, but he'd like to go from OCS through the infantry. That desire is primarily based on his interest in counter-insurgency work. This is a topic that he has been interested in for years. As he puts it: "Dad, you can't do counter-incurgency from a desk, chopper or the deck of a ship. You have to be nose to nose with people." I think he's probably right about that.

The younger son is continuing to apply to various Fire Departments but is bumping into the almost mandatory requirement that he be a Paramedic, EMT and maybe even a orthopedic surgeon! One wouldn't think that there wouldn't be so much competition to run into burning buildings, but there you are.

Once oldest son gets settled someplace I'll let the right-coasters know where he is. I'm guessing he'll be nailed down at Quantico for a while, but once he had some free time I'm certain he'd like to go sailing. He has done a few Bermuda races and trans-pac deliveries. For the near future, he won't know where he'll be from week to week. Thanks for the offer.

BV