 |
| Tom and me yesterday |
 |
| Tom March 31, 1994, one day before I left the bank in Philadelphia, PA |
Tom stopped in yesterday on his way back from North Carolina to his home in Pennsylvania. He usually stops by at least once a year to visit me and Bill here on the Delmarva peninsula. Many years ago when Tom was a young man (he's 54 now), Tom used to have a "place" in Lewes with friends. They would come down on the weekends and fish and crab.
 |
| Tom during his visit to us in 2009 |
I worked in the same department at Fidelity Bank with Tom from 1987 to 1994. As with most people who know me long enough, I blasted Tom once for something that made me angry at the time. I even forget what it was now but those of you who know me personally, know that if I get pushed far enough under bad circumstances I lash out. This isn't something proud of but it is me. It is my personality. What you see is what you get.....and sometimes more.
 |
| Yep, this is part of my personality |
Sometimes I think this is my acid test for friends. If they can survive one of my "blasts", then they are a true friend. Of course My Bill has survived many such blasts. Poor Bill, has he ever. Just today he said "I like you when you're nice, but you're not always nice." And folks, I'm here to tell you that Bill speaks the truth.
 |
| Me and Tom, our last lunch together in Philadelphia March 31, 1994 |
Now not all my friends have survived this acid test. They are now called former friends. The first time I blasted them for some real or imagined transgression, they bailed.
 |
| Me and Tom September 2011 |
And by the way, I haven't exempted former bosses from my outburst behavior. All have survived except one. He had me fired when I blasted him. The others? We're friends to this day. They survived because they know the Real Ron.
 |
| Tom and Ron November 23, 2012 |
And that my friends is the real meaning of friendship. You accept the person as they are, warts and all. Not just the good parts but the bad parts to because we're all human. No one is perfect, least of all me.
 |
| Tom and Ron July 29, 2010 |
I am so thankful that at this time of my life I have true friends like Tom.
 |
| Tom digging into his prime rib yesterday at the Bay Leaf Restaurant in Milton, DE |