Happy Birthday – John E Johnson 1932-2009
August 21 would have been John’s 79th birthday. He always looked forward to his birthdays, and wondered if anyone would remember him. Sometimes they did and sometimes they didn’t. I always did, of course, living so close to the birthday boy. This picture is how I remember him when he was strong and in good health and sort of on the ornery side.
This was on our way home from Sturgis in 1990. That was the 50th Anniversary of Sturgis. We weren’t going to go, but, as we heard the rumble of Harley’s going north on I-25 we just couldn’t resist the “call.” We lived just east of I-25 so we heard the bikers every year heading north. Day and night the roar was like music to our ears. Finally, I told my boss, “I have to go” and he said, “Okay.”
We stopped at Douglas, Wyoming to rest on our way home. As you can see, John always parked our bikes as close to the room as possible. Always parked in a way so that he could keep an eye on them through the night, while I snoozed away. Many times he had some tight maneuvers to get them just right, but he could handle those 850 lb Harleys like bicycles. It’s nice insurance for a short legged Harley rider to have someone that can get you parked in the right places, and sometimes out of the wrong places as well.
Was he a perfect guy? No, not in a long shot. Was he predictable? No, not in a long shot. Was he a softy? No, not in a long shot, but once in awhile he surprised me. Was he totally reliable? No, not in a long shot. What was he? He was a one of a kind, never to meet again type of a guy. He was an experience.
I am glad I met him and married him in spite of the challenges he presented. He was my very best friend and I say to him—Happy Birthday. I firmly believe he is at peace, and never far away. As my favorite author, Richard Bach, says, “There Is No Such Place As Far Away”. patj
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