SEP 20, 11 .. RALPH BARNHARDT
This short writing is just for you.. Ralph Barnhardt.. may you rest in peace.. forty (40) years later.. you and your words are ETCHED into my consciousness.. THANK YOU SO MUCH RALPH.. I SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR LIFE..
In 1960 into 1961..while attending University and getting my Civil Engineering Degree.. I worked part time (often during the hours between classes) in a machine shop.. in an industrial section of Detroit, Michigan.. one of my co-workers was an elderly man.. a machinist named Ralph Barnhardt..
A machine shop is very DIRTY.. you have cast iron dust in the air.. machine oil from the lathes permeates the air.. and each and every day at noon.. we would pull out our lunches (Mike..another student.. and I just snacked but all the rest had lunch pails from their wives.. Reinne and Johnny)..
In mentioning Reinne and Johnny.. I did NOT forget Ralph Barnhardt.. he did NOT join us in the machine shop for lunch.. oh NO..
Ralph would.. each and every single day.. walk out of the machine shop and go OUT TO EAT.. one day I asked Ralph.. “Ralph.. why do you go out to eat each day.. isn’t it cheaper to bring a lunch from home?”
RALPH BARNHARDT FROZE ME SO COLD THAT TO THIS INSTANT.. FORTY (40 count them) YEARS LATER .. I can look down on him (he was much shorter than I am) AND HEAR HIS WORDS.. he said..
“Cap.. all of our lives we scrape and we skimp and we deny ourselves things.. one day.. if we are not careful.. we will (maybe) look back and see TOO LITTLE JOY IN THE PAST.. when I walk out of this machine shop I go to a fine restaurant.. with a thick white table cloth and fine cutlery and fine glassware..I am waited upon and I am treated with dignity and I am treated with respect.. and I eat well and I enjoy my meals.. SOME FUTURE DAY I WILL LOOK BACK WITH PLEASURE AT ALL OF MY LUNCHES OUT.. Cap be careful as you live your life to do so making happy memories that one day you can look back upon and smile!”
Over Forty (40) Years later I can oh-so-clearly hear those words coming from Ralph Barnhardt..
HE ALSO SAID.. HE ALSO RAVED.. THE FOLLOWING..
“WHY OH WHY is there NEVER time to do the job correctly BUT THERE IS ALWAYS TIME TO DO THE JOB OVER!”
AND DAILY I THINK ALSO OF THOSE WORDS FROM RALPH BARNHARDT..
BECAUSE I have ten and I have eleven character passwords.. mixed alphas (lower and upper case) and numericals.. and DAILY I rush entering them and DAILY I have to RE-ENTER them..
KNOWING.. IF I JUST TAKE MY TIME .. ENTER THEM SLOWLY AND ENTER THEM CORRECTLY.. THEN I WILL NOT HAVE TO PLAY THE GAME WITH YAHOO AND OTHER SITES..
THANK YOU RALPH BARNHARDT.. AGAIN.. SIR I SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR LIFE!!
WITH LOVE.. Cap..