I last saw bill and berva dec 31\80,and even longer for grant and lisa, back when tony was still in his prime. every time i see a dark leather work boot with octagonal brass eyes or a particullarily nice flannel plaid shirt i envision the face of my bud bill who was a regular rider in the six vehicles i went through in grade eleven and twelve. He was the perfect straight guy for the moron squad to perform our juvenile antics for and watch the chagrin and disbelief and laughter and encouragement on his face. Bil was the ultimate good luck charm, no one ever got hurt or in trouble with him.He must have been a perfect dad for little kids, what with the way he disaproved while accepting bad behavior from beaver and me with a grin covered by a scowl while his eyes danced in laughter. my strongest memory of the many, is when i showed up at the house on the kingsway in an borrowed old banged up shelby KR500 and Bill, standing back on the other side of the street, with me headed westbound, nonchalantly told me to chirp the tires. here is where i remember watching bill watch me and still get wet eyes every time. i made the car roll backwards a little and bounced a couple of times in second. when i dumped the clutch the engine was already screaming bloody murder, never mind the exhauast, the air intake could be heard on bloor street, and smoke ,my god the tire wells were so filled up there was even smoke coming out in front of the car, the rear wheels were acting like fans blowing smoke side ways thirty feet. And there was Bill slack jawed in his octagonal brass eyed boots and plaid shirt. every facial expression he had ever conjured up, flooded his features,years later when donald rumsfeld coined "shock and awe" best describes the look Bill was wearing when the front wheels lifted up eight inches and the car proceeded to launch in this form for thirty feet. and that was only a few seconds of two years of the excellent fun having fun we had ['cause we knew how to]in our late teens. Bill will never really be gone 'till no one remembers him, and i can attest that thirty years does not in any way dim that memory. I am so glad to have been in his loop for all be it a short time frame it was a good time as that was Howes it was done. I hate to miss the wake and all the love of Bill that will be shared, please share mine and spread it around amongst those who appreciated the man for his staight forward integraty and charm.
