June 17, 2016....

So........never having lived outside of the county I grew up in stepping out of a plane into the hot humid air on Kwajalein was a unique experience.  There were people in Honolulu at the airport that I remembered their faces later after I knew their roles on the island.  Our project manager from San Juan Construction was coming back from "R and R", but he was just a face on the plane that I remembered later.  There were a few like that.  You see them a few weeks later on the island doing whatever, and remember their faces on the plane.  A few you kind of bond with because it's all so new.  There was one guy, tall, a bit older, quiet, but he had a hard hat attached to his back pack on the plane.  I assumed he was here for the same construction project I was.  I had no clue what exactly his role was when I saw him in the huge cafeteria.  He looked too smart to be just another construction worker, he was obviously leader of some steel workers deal I thought.  We stayed in the "Kwaj Lodge" for the first few or three months out here until the man camp deal got finished.  I passed Gary in the stairs a few times and saw him alone in the cafeteria always reading a book by himself while eating.  I could tell he was smart.  He was one of the first ones to show up to Frisbee after I got the people in power to advertise it on the "Roller".  Its one of the local TV stations that puts up local events for the island.  Gary always thru the Frisbee well.  He was the only one who used the "Dad" throw.  He kind of looked like a guy who might throw it old school.  He threw it well that way.  That part wasn't so impressive.  What was impressive about that guy, and I talk about him like he died, but he's only just leaving the island for better things, the impressive thing about Gary was that he had all the traits I aimed for in myself.  Sportsmanship is the main one.  I learned later and dealt with him a bit at work because he was our clients' Project Manager, that he carried himself the same calm unwaveringly solid way he did at Frisbee in spite of the ridiculousness of moments presented.  Thanks for the hug before you left Gary...you are a great guy!