Grendel
I have just returned from a good friends funeral, he died after contracting a staff infection at the hospital after back and neck surgery, He had gone down in a 50-60 mph curve on a rural road with a large pack of MC riders, most of whom I knew, (I was not thare). I been riding with him for more than 25+ years, we had ridden in an endurance race back in 1990 together, he crashed my bike but all was good. We were never really close but he was an outstanding man in many ways. Ali Allen was his name, he was one of the most kind and generous men I had ever met, he was always the person that was first to shake your hand, a true gentleman that I will miss, he was 56 yo, a character extraordinaire. This makes me wonder why it is these people that are so nice that go, never the mean ones always the nicest people you will ever meet.
I had complained to our clan leader of Ali's persistence to place his front tyre on his new 08 SV650 within inches of my rear tyre at 80 mph around a tight curve, he had never done this on any of our numerous outings before. I was tempted to tell him not to do this anymore or to wave him on by,,, cos I was uncomfortable with the situation, but I had only grumbled to one of his closest friends and not him.
This makes me realise when sitting in the church listening to all of the many testimonies, JEEZ.... why don't I have better people skills, I may have saved his life by telling him rather than complaining to someone else. At times I say too much, other times I do not say enough or I will just say the wrong thing. I had thought he was riding too fast for conditions, I was breaking in a new set of tyres. Now I have regrets, makes me want to crawl in my hole and roll up in a small ball. I was the only person at the funeral with tennis shoes cos I worked this morning, (did wear a freshly pressed dress shirt), I feel like an ass.
I had complained to our clan leader of Ali's persistence to place his front tyre on his new 08 SV650 within inches of my rear tyre at 80 mph around a tight curve, he had never done this on any of our numerous outings before. I was tempted to tell him not to do this anymore or to wave him on by,,, cos I was uncomfortable with the situation, but I had only grumbled to one of his closest friends and not him.
This makes me realise when sitting in the church listening to all of the many testimonies, JEEZ.... why don't I have better people skills, I may have saved his life by telling him rather than complaining to someone else. At times I say too much, other times I do not say enough or I will just say the wrong thing. I had thought he was riding too fast for conditions, I was breaking in a new set of tyres. Now I have regrets, makes me want to crawl in my hole and roll up in a small ball. I was the only person at the funeral with tennis shoes cos I worked this morning, (did wear a freshly pressed dress shirt), I feel like an ass.