Duct tape, permatex, JB weld and luck..

Had a last summer run I needed to make..the shovel finally showed it's age and got cantankerous..We needed another day to pay respects to a fallen friend and his family.So I put the old dog on the jack and commenced to patch it up for another ride..Broken bolts and metal shavings in the outer primary, a couple of nice sized cracks found in the inner, primary chain looking a little rough..New bolts, JB weld for the cracks, lot's of permatex and my super secret oil mix..were on the road once again..

Now I called the Chief a friend and we were but it's his younger brother Gene who I grew up with..In 1977 the was a mexican uprising at our high school..Me and Gene missed the initial fight, we were hiding out behind Willies burger joint smoking dope at the time..them damn 70's..once we heard what was going down we split and headed to the OC..small town I grew up in and were the instigators of the shit just so happened to reside. We got caught up in the shit and took an ass kick'n that afternoon..six on two and I would love to say we held our own but if we did it was short term..

Being the cool, calm collect person I have always been I got Gene a ride home and went and loaded up the Winchester 870 with some Pheasant load and went hunting..I was sitting in the old chevy van at the back of OC Liquors like it was my hunting blind when out of no place Chief jumps in the van..He looked at me and then the shotgun and say's..Gene told me you would be doing something stupid like this,,get the fuck out of here and go home..I'll deal with the punks..and left..so did I and the punks were dealt with severely from the tales that were told..

I didn't see either Gene or the Chief for a few year..I did the army thing and they kept on logging..When I got back we ran into each other at the local bars and hardcore parties..Gene and the middle brother Lester would come by my place and party from time to time..Then one morning I was awakened by loud pipes and drunk indians..Chief had got in a fight at Les and Lou's..there was damage done and he needed a place to hide out for a couple of days..I said sure.

We got to know each other during those three days..He left late one afternoon and never made it home for 8 years..Manslaughter and a term in Folsom..About four years ago the cancer got him..Indian health care killed him..on September 29th..

I sat up on a nice sunny Sunday afternoon with Lester Sr. (pops) and Gene..and listened..Lester Jr. died in a car wreck 15 years ago..I partied with him and worked with him for a year..good man..Gene has followed in his fathers footstep..He has worked hard to keep the tribal beliefs and traditions alive..Pops explained how the spirit world is divided into two different worlds that at some point after death will become one..warriors who are restless and must wander until they find piece and the common man and believes who are accepted by the earth upon death..He told me that people like me..and like most of the readers of this blog are warriors, restless souls who shun fear..we will have the chance to wonder with his son someday..

Chiefs ashed were spread by the look out..walking distance to my favorite rock..Late in the afternoon me and the shovel both a little worse for wear fired up and headed for the rock..Chief my friend in your wandering stop by my rock..I'm sure you understand him better than I do..Your father was right and someday we will wonder these hill together..Find peace my brother..I have to ride..

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