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My Nascar Buddy
14 years ago
General
I'll just let everyone know ahead of time, this journal isn't much of a happy one.
As many of you know, one of my biggest hobbies is collecting die-cast Nascar models. It's a fun activity I've done for years...10+ years to be an estimate. Along the way, I've bought from many dealers, met many great people. Nothing was more fun than hanging out at a merchandise store to talk about Nascar and all racing to the owner and his customers. I made friends.
Six years ago, I met a shop owner named Don. His Nascar shop sits smack in the front of Georgia's largest flea market. Over the years I bought things from him, I got to know him more and more. He wasn't just the guy I bought cars from, but he became a friend to me and my family as well. And the people that came in, we got to know them too. The group of regulars at his place was a pack of four: Randy, Mike, me, and Don himself. I can't begin to recall the hours the four of us spent there talking and laughing up a storm. We all took care of each other, through good and bad. It was like a second home...a second family. Randy always told me that Don thought very highly of me, treating me like his son.
Don had a great deal of respect for me. It was two years ago that he took me as somewhat of a partner in the business. He trusted me to run the place for him when he was out, to sell the product, to use my own sense of sale. Heh, it was kinda annoying sometimes...having to fill in for him between school and whatnot, but I loved it.
Well, today, I got a call from Randy.
Don was found dead this morning.
I'm...at a complete loss here. It's hard to believe that just the other day he was here talking to me about Chistmas orders. And now, he's gone. Just like that. His poor son too. I need to help him sort through Don's inventory, help him figure out his orders, what to do with all the stuff. I don't know what will happen to the store...
I'm trying so hard not to cry right now. He was special. He was my Nascar buddy, my racing friend. He always got the cars I wanted, and outside of business, he took care of me like family. If I was his second son, he was my second farher. I'm going to miss him so much.
I'll never forget Don.
He was a great friend.
I'm set to spend the first week of the new year at Disney World. I'll be thinking of him the whole time. If they have a funeral for him, I might not be able to attend.
As many of you know, one of my biggest hobbies is collecting die-cast Nascar models. It's a fun activity I've done for years...10+ years to be an estimate. Along the way, I've bought from many dealers, met many great people. Nothing was more fun than hanging out at a merchandise store to talk about Nascar and all racing to the owner and his customers. I made friends.
Six years ago, I met a shop owner named Don. His Nascar shop sits smack in the front of Georgia's largest flea market. Over the years I bought things from him, I got to know him more and more. He wasn't just the guy I bought cars from, but he became a friend to me and my family as well. And the people that came in, we got to know them too. The group of regulars at his place was a pack of four: Randy, Mike, me, and Don himself. I can't begin to recall the hours the four of us spent there talking and laughing up a storm. We all took care of each other, through good and bad. It was like a second home...a second family. Randy always told me that Don thought very highly of me, treating me like his son.
Don had a great deal of respect for me. It was two years ago that he took me as somewhat of a partner in the business. He trusted me to run the place for him when he was out, to sell the product, to use my own sense of sale. Heh, it was kinda annoying sometimes...having to fill in for him between school and whatnot, but I loved it.
Well, today, I got a call from Randy.
Don was found dead this morning.
I'm...at a complete loss here. It's hard to believe that just the other day he was here talking to me about Chistmas orders. And now, he's gone. Just like that. His poor son too. I need to help him sort through Don's inventory, help him figure out his orders, what to do with all the stuff. I don't know what will happen to the store...
I'm trying so hard not to cry right now. He was special. He was my Nascar buddy, my racing friend. He always got the cars I wanted, and outside of business, he took care of me like family. If I was his second son, he was my second farher. I'm going to miss him so much.
I'll never forget Don.
He was a great friend.
I'm set to spend the first week of the new year at Disney World. I'll be thinking of him the whole time. If they have a funeral for him, I might not be able to attend.
If you need to talk feel free to call me. I'm currently in a denver airport waiting for my flight to leave.
*hugs ya tight*
I wish you well my friend.
-Danny
That's tragic...and awful. Not a good start to your new year...
...I'll be thinking of you and keeping his son in my prayers...
Best wishes dude, I hope you and him can pull through okay. :( And God Bless Don.
Being at Disney this week, while its annoying sometimes, has been really nice in these events. It really helped me esacape...drowning me in fun and excitement. It's only annoying because it's hard to keep in touch with everything, because it's hard to get the privacy here...or to get back at a reasonable hour.
I am in touch with his son though, and we have a general plan of how we're gonna deal with this. There's a lot of stuff to sort through and figure out.
Also a reminder why we must cherish our close friends and loved ones always. You never know what the future may hold.
You're a good guy to be there for his son and to help deal with it all.