Someone To Watch Over Me

He sensed adventure...but somehow overlooked danger

Air Force Intelligence Badge

It was the mid-60's
He was attending Air Force Intelligence School
Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado
Sandwiched between Denver and Aurora

Lowry would later be noteworthy (at least in his mind)
For its close proximity to the bars of Colfax Ave
And the famous( ?) "Zanzabar" nightclub
Of Clint Eastwood's 1978 movie,
"Every Which Way But Loose" fame

Note: But Colfax Avenue and the Zanzabar... is another story with a little more detail (click here) Ben and Jack
Another note: the old Zbar location is now a Walgreen's
The "Starbucks" of drugstores... wouldn't you know?!

At Lowry, he was studying two separate but related Intelligence technician skills.

The first; air (current) intelligence was somewhat like gathering tidbits of news from different government spy agencies and passing relevant parts to air crews... keeping them up on the latest. Analysts were also responsible for tasks like building strike charts (maps) for aircrews to use on bombing missions, drawing radar predictions and teaching them fighter aircraft recognition... "This here's a photo of a Russian MIG. You either want to shoot them down, observe them or stay away from them...depending."

The second skill was photo interpretation. This involved using the techniques of photogrammetry to analyze (mostly) aerial photography and identify bombing targets. When finished, he could be assigned to jobs in either skill. Either way, it was all interesting so he was enjoying school - a rare experience for him in his young life.

One day, in class there was an announcement. "We are looking for volunteers for training as Air Intelligence Airman Parachutists." Since he was 21 at the time and feeling the same sense of immortality that infects most folks of that age he quickly volunteered.

First, there was physical conditioning testing at the base gymnasium. He was asked to do rope climbs to the rafters, push-ups, sit-ups and other tests of strength. He handily passed all. Next step was a physical exam and that is where he had trouble. His eyesight was 20/200 correctable to 20/20 and that was "outside the acceptable limits" for parachute training. He wasn't too happy about that, particularly since he played wide receiver in a lot of sandlot tackle football and had majored in billiards in high school... all without glasses (he was pretty content, and successful at playing the blurs).

Anyway that was that.

Shortly thereafter, he learned most of those accepted for training ended up in Viet Nam and South America, participating in and teaching counterinsurgency... at that time a job with an extremely high fatality rate.

Right there and then someone was watching over him. You know who.

(For more detail on Intelligence activities following this adventure click here: Randal C - You've Been Found!)

Janice E, David A, Jim N, Jack S and David Claud

1972
The Forum in Los Angeles, California
There was a concert
Iron Butterfly and Canned Heat

Julieann and I were almost 3 years into this 41+ year marriage

Working and slaving our lives away in nearby Riverside

We didn't go to many concerts (as in none)

But loved the music
My brother was visiting from Seattle
So we decided to go as a special event for all of us

We decided to buy the best seats we could get
That purchase put us in folding chairs on the floor of the Forum
About 15 rows from the stage

The sound engineer
Orchestrated the whole event
From a few rows behind us

It was a great concert made more interesting by the
Smell of marijuana that permeated the building
And by the fact that the engineer had the music dialed in to penetrate everything in its path

The sound seemed to be focussed right in the center of my head
When we walked out my ears were ringing
Almost 40 years later, they still are

I have told this story dozens of times
For folks who are puzzled by my lousy hearing
And wondering why I don't wear my hearing aids
(they don' work very well - as in, at all - for tinnitus)


I must have been really impressed too because I posted another account (Damn I gotta find some new material...) with a little bit different spin back in late 2008: 

http://tomcampbellsworld.blogspot.com/2008/11/infirmities-of-lesser-kind.html

What I have rarely mentioned it that it was probably cumulative
Air Force buddies David A, Jim N and I had gone to drag races in Amarillo, Texas 
In the early 60's where you could literally lay in the grass 
And take photographs just a few feet from the track
David A and I had also made many short and long hauls in his '58 Chevy
Music turned up as loud as it could go
Singing at the top of our voices 
Through the prairies of northern Texas and New Mexico
Back then folks were pretty clueless about the effects of hazardous noise


This morning, on her Facebook page, Janice happened to mention
She had heard the long version of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" on the radio
And loved it.
That is what has prompted this little story
I will send the link to all five pals mentioned here today


Also Jack S... who mentioned in the earlier post that he too 
Had attended the Forum way back when 
And his ears rang for three days after
And he now has one gone with one to go


I can't help but wonder how many ears
Have been destroyed in the Forum?
Let's 'hear' it if you have!!! (bad joke) 

The Bag

The Bag - about to begin its third life.
(Harley tags will adorn it once again.)

In my last Air Force assignment as a Medical Service Corps Officer
I used to work a lot of hours
No problem...I loved the job

But there was one who always worked harder
He was always there when I arrived early
And always there when I stayed late
Always there

I approached retirement before he considered it
I was anxious to start a new life
And he at the time was content with his

One day just before I left, in a moment of candor and admiration
I told him he was the "hardest working sonofabitch
I had ever met."
And he was
And he still is

A few years later... as a consultant
With business in health care contract initiatives
I had the good fortune
To bring him on as an independent contractor
To assist my clients in pursuit of two extremely difficult
Billion dollar plus contracts (TRICARE)

My clients loved him... for good reason
And hired him for projects far beyond
Our work together

I have now been a consultant for almost 20 years
I have worked with and hired
Several hundred different independent contractors
To assist with consulting work

In that time there is only one who has
Given me a gift as a token of appreciation
For the work we did together

It was the same person...
The hardest working SOB
One of the finest gentlemen
I have ever known

It was uncalled for
And for that reason
All the more appreciated

He did it twice.
The second time it was a beautiful Tumi bag
Something I had never thought to purchase myself

I have used it off and on for years
While traveling hundreds of thousands of miles
I have retired it twice in favor of the newer model wheeled bags
To lighten my load...while on the road

But now, with lighter laptops
And ebooks
My  load is getting light enough

L-R; Bill Grinstaff, Bob Bunker, Yours Truly
Here is a link to a testimonial about Bob:
http://tomcampbellsworld.blogspot.com/2009/09/ashtray.html

I am thinking about bringing the bag
Out of retirement for the third time
That is what prompts this tribute

It is now well-worn with years of character
But otherwise bullet-proof
I love to hang Harley related tags of various kinds on it
So those who see it know
While I may be traveling with a high-end bag
I am still somewhat off center... right where I want to be

Harold W. (Bill) Grinstaff, Colonel
United States Air Force (Retired)
I salute you

You make an old road warrior proud to have worked for you,
with you and to have known you as a friend.
For over 25 years now.

10/18/2015 update:  Bill passed away a couple of years ago now. I am grateful I was able to share this tribute with him before he passed.  I miss our frequent email exchanges on topics of all kinds and what he called "rocking chair memories" the most.  We travelled to Boston this spring and while there, met Bill's wife Sharon, his son Mark and daughter-in-law Fabienne for dinner. Terrific people all and it seemed as if Bill was there with us, beaming with gentlemanly hospitality.

"Minimally Invasive" - The Sordid Details

She is waiting... for Meeeeeeeeee

One week prior:
It was a bad day in Black Rock
He was feeling low... and scared
It was cold out and rain was drizzling

He had aches and pains where there usually weren't any
He was considering the worst of possible outcomes
Instead of the best
Things like hospital acquired infections and what not...

Not like him to think that way.
It cost him a lot of sleep that night

He was hitting his 65th
A point where it seemed to him
Birthday celebrations became more for the observors
And much less for the 'observee

To add insult to injury
He was about to become patient # (pick one)
Of the more than 200,000 in the US who receive
Hip replacements each year

His work often called him out of state
And, the economy being what it is
He had earlier decided he would postpone the surgery to take work
It didn't happen as he suspected - work that is
And that meant it would happen - surgery that is

He saw his Doc the Friday before
It was his hand-picked surgeon
He had inside info that the Doc was the "best"
In their large community
That was from a fake hip factory sales rep close to his circle of friends

The surgeon practiced the new "minimally invasive" procedure
Using an incision roughly half the size of the older method
Resulting in "faster healing with less pain"
"Oh really?!"

He and the Doc went through the usual information exchange
The Friday before the Monday surgery
And the Doc closed with a convincing, "We'll take good care of you."

That reassurance pulled him him out of the doldrums
And helped him focus on the positive outcomes of the surgery rather than the opposite.

Day one (December 13, 2010): In the hospital Monday morning at 6:15AM
Surgery scheduled for 8:15
He was already checked in and had worn his admitting wristband through the weekend
Yeah, you can pretend it is a band for admission to a rock concert if you want....

A short wait then, into a small room to prep
His two favorite ladies of all time were with him... wife and daughter
The OR nurse visited
"We are going to get you into this gown, get some socks on you,
 Start an IV and a few other things."

The Gasser stoped by and said "hi" and talked a little about the epidural and
Other potions being mixed to reduce his patient to a vegetative state
The OR nurse stopped in and explained a little more
He nodded his head continuously while scanning the area for the exit door
Finding none he resigned
He was wheeled into the OR...

The OR nurse said "Sit up on the edge of the table.
"Hold this pillow and stick your chin into your chest."

The Gasser sneaked up behind him (that's how they are),
found his spot and poked a needle to start the epidural
It was pretty uncomfortable but doesn't last long
"Now, lay down on your back here..."
Seconds later it was lights out.

They said he came to thrashing in the recovery room
So they turned up the juice, conked him out again
And brought him back slower

Woke again in regular room with a wedge strapped between his legs
"To keep you from crossing them."
Not much pain
Okay okay - he was pretty ecstatic to still be alive...
"Just relax the rest of the day.
Tomorrow we will get you up and about".

Family was there visiting
Nurses and techs attentive
All was good
Typical hospital night
PA system came on repeatedly announcing various codes

Day two:  More dialed in to the present tense now...
Rehab folks show and he walks... with assistance of aluminum walker
Everyone makes sure his 'jammies' stay closed
He retains his dignity
The walks and such go well

Day three: He is ready to go home!
Doc shows up and agrees
The walker and the patient are outta there!

Days 4-7: A lot better each day
Home health nurses and physical therapists keep showing up at home
And checking to be sure he is doing okay
He likes (nah, loves) the attention

Day 8: He sheds the walker, moves to cane

Day 9-14: He starts, stops, then starts again... quitting the pain medication that is
The cane disappears too
On day fourteen the staples are removed
What a relief... it was beginning to feel like little piranhas nibbling on my _ss!

The love of his life says his limp is almost gone
"Better than it has been in years."
Damn... that's it for the sympathetic remarks he figures.

Day 15 - 21: The pain meds are long gone.
Everyone keeps warning him not to overdo it
But he feels like he is taking it slow
Even though he is way ahead of schedule
Even went back in the gym on day 16

He calls the doc's assistant
"Get me off the blood thinner!"
"Let me start driving again!"
He loses the first request but wins the second
(Providing I don't violate restrictions on movement of leg.)
"I'll take that!!!"

Day 26 (January 7, 2011): First follow up visit to Doc
He is hoping to get license
To begin tormenting the world again
Very little waiting time

Some x-rays
Radiology tech said he "couldn't believe"
He had already returned to the gym last week
His head started swelling

Doc said;  "Two more weeks of limitations on movement
Then he could return to normal
"Me?!  Normal?!  Little does he know..."

So the limitations are:
No splits while jamming on the dance floor
No high hurdles and
No parachute landings
"Okay I can live with that."

Or did he say;
"No crossing your legs,
No bending more than 90 degrees at the hip and
No inward torque on the fake hip?"
Yea that was it...

The miracles of modern medicine
And a damn good doc
He's a Happy Camper.

2/16/2011 Addendum:

It has now been precisely, exactly (about 8 weeks) since my doc took a frickin' sledge hammer and drove a titanium stake into my body.  Rumor was he was going for the heart "Twilight" style but missed and nailed my femur instead. 

I visited him last week and, shortly after he missed me twice (again) with two ill-timed swings of his "just checking reflexes" hammer, we sat and talked.  He opened with, "You can jog if you want although we don't encourage it."  Now, what the hell was that?!  I didn't even bring the subject up but in retrospect it was a nice nonsensical sort of thing for him to say.  He also said other stuff like "Let your stretching exercises come along naturally, don't try to force it."  I took that to mean don't do it at all which fits nicely into my regimen.  

He also liked the fact that I have already resumed golf, riding the HOG and hitting the gym so I scored a lot of points there I figure.  We then lapsed into a conversation about riding bikes (turns out he is a fanatic too) so I poked him in the finger and made him a blood brother. 

He closed with, "I don't want to see you for your next checkup for a year."  Musta pissed him off.  Then he said;  "When you show up then, I will be lurking in the shadows somewhere in this clinic and will nail you when you least expect it you Bloodsucker."  I think he has been watching too many movies...