More "Hellos"

"Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos." ~Charles M. Schulz


Yesterday marked the end of a long and storied reign at my workplace. After more than 2 years of havoc and humor, the dastardly duo of Larsen-Chockley came to a close when my good friend Hayes (pictured above "mentoring" our JG replacements) left for Annapolis. Here's hoping those midshipman at the Academy will quickly realize that getting an A in his class will depend much less on actually knowing the subject matter and more on knowing classic Simpson's quotes.

For those of you unfortunate enough to have never met Hayes, I won't bore you with the details. Suffice it to say that I'll be moping around a little more than usual for the next few weeks. I guess its always like that when a good friend leaves, even in the Navy.

He'll kill me for saying it, but Hayes certainly went out with a bang last week. I'm reminded of that closing scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid...

As I think about it, God has always seemed to give me at least one good friend everywhere I've lived. I guess Hayes fits the mold here. It makes me wonder why I don't just act normal, live in one place, and stick with the friends I have around me. Maybe its because - like here - even if I stay in one place, everyone else will end up moving anyway. Like Schulz says: I guess I just need more "hellos."

Adios Hayes. It was a good run.

- pac