When people pass away due to an accident you think to yourself just how senseless their death was.....then......

You recall with fondness the times you have spent together, and the times you had planned to spend together in the future.
You laugh at the silly things done, and get good and angry for all the things that will never be.
Last, but not least, you want to reach out and hurt the person that took your friend or loved one away.

Standing in the flag line at Tommy's service this Sunday I had plenty of time to think about things like that.
Somehow, through my own pain and tears, I watched the family members and friends pull up in their vehicles and walk toward the doors...staring at almost 50 of us standing there holding our flags in honor of our friend, and then noticing that others were helping out in other ways......looking at the rows of bikes parked off to the side.
Some of them began crying, some walked the lines shaking our hands and thanking us.
All were impressed.

We didn't do it to impress anyone. We did it to show our respect for a wonderful man, a special friend, and a man who was retired military.

Once the services had come to an end, we lowered our flags for the last time, stretched out our aching muscles and joints, and returned to our bikes. By a unanimous decision we then headed for one of Tommy's favorite watering holes and toasted him in a way that he would have loved.

You are going to be missed my friend, by so many of us....

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