On The Fly

He was never on Facebook, not Twitter or LinkedIn yet he was one of the most connected people I knew. He loved life, treated people with the utmost respect, an avid reader, a true educator, and a wise man who knew how to make everyone feel special. Every birthday, which he always remembered, his special gift to me was books, printed books, not electronic, subjects designed to broaden my understanding. He would send me articles on business, technology, sports, and politics. He always encouraged me to grow, to learn new things, to write, to always be me. “Never compromise your Midwest values, never stop being Patrick.” Always smiling and laughing we met for lunch when he was in town. It was always at 11:20 a.m., he wanted to beat the crowds. That hour together we always laughed, never about gossip, never at the expense of another, a deep hearty satisfying laugh, the kind that when you part you’re smiling inside. After lunch he would  insist on driving back along the Carlsbad coast....