Do You Have What It Takes?

3/8 & 20/24

A little over 3 years ago, I fulfilled my life long dream of buying a home in the country. I didn’t get the warm country welcome I had thought I would receive. I guess even country folks have become more reserved in their southern hospitality. Well, except for Martin. Martin lived about 100-150 yds to my south and his son about the same to my north. Martin was one of the first neighbors I spoke to, or that spoke to me, at least in passing.

After a small tornado hopscotched it’s way around our area, before I got to even move in, another neighbor called to let me know I had 3 trees down in my front yard. While I was there one weekend preparing to move in, I heard 2 men bantering across the street. It was nice to see the 2 old ranchers come together to help each other in trouble and have fun in the process. Martin was one of those ranchers. He and Jimmy were making lighthearted jabs at each other.

One day I was outside and Martin stopped and we made small talk when the discussion turned to faith. Martin asked if I had a church here yet and told him no. He invited me to his. He and his wife came to my house to pick me up. Been going to that church ever since.  

I had noticed Martin that had a slight shake to his hands and suspected Parkinson’s. Sadly I wasn’t wrong but I did use it as an excuse for his driving. Pretty sure I was wrong there though as rumors came back to me he was like that before the Parkinson’s. I tell folks I think Martin’s driving was part of his ministry. If you weren’t a believer or did much praying before you rode with him you dang sure became that way pretty quick; if I weren’t so old and have a very bad knee, I probably woulda gotten down on my hands and knees and kissed the ground when we safely “landed” at the church. At least in that dually (aka one tone truck) I felt somewhat “protected”.  To give you a clue, Martin could get there in 30 min. It was 33 miles from my house and we had to back out of my drive onto a super narrow 1 lane road with a huge hole just off the driveway (thanks to a huge uprooted pine tree from the hopscotching tornado), then had to cross a 5 lane highway, drive through a small town with a speed limit of 35mph and 3 traffic lights and 2 90 degree curves, wind down a narrow 2 lane road with 4 bridges all while watching for loose livestock and wildlife, turn onto another 2 lane highway, cross back over, praying he missed the super deep ditch and park.

Martin relented and agreed to get the deep brain stimulation (DBS) implants. I cried when I saw the videos after his surgery. The tears were tears of joy and the look on his face and his happy tears made me cry that much more. JUST to be clear, I am not one of those emotional people that cry easily, especially in front of others but cry I did.

I think my favorite story is when he and Brenda met. Long story short, Brenda was in town with her brother  (North Texas) and was told they would be staying at his family home during their stay. Brenda was NOT happy when he pulled into the local motel. Unbeknownst to Brenda, they owned and lived at the motel.

My personal favorite story (that included me) is when he decided to go UPHILL to the new pillion without an escort. Folks were kinda panicky trying to find him. See Martin was SUPPOSED to be using a walker or cane! When I looked up the hill and saw him, I told him that if he rolled down that hill I was gonna laugh; I would help him up but I WOULD LAUGH. He started laughing which almost caused him to fall. On the ride home, Brenda and another friend were mortified to find out what I said to him. He started chuckling again. We shared a warped sense of humor. I think I will miss that the most.

I got to know Martin and his wife Brenda so well that it seemed like we had been friends forever. And that we would be friends forever. I just didn’t realize forever would only last 3 short years for Martin.Not long after his victory over Parkinson’s tremors, Martin had a gall bladder attack requiring emergency surgery. Everything went well and all looked good in there. But Brenda noticed something wasn’t right. She notified the staff on multiple occasions but the nurses kept telling her it was just the anesthesia and pain meds. Nobody would ever admit it, but by all indications, he seemed to have had a stroke. If you are a doctor or a nurse PLEASE listen to the family if they tell you something isn’t right.

In just a little over a year, Martin went from healthy, no tremors, vibrant, driving, walking, running his side by side, tending his cows and running his tractor, to hospice. Martin died a couple of weeks shy of his 72^nd birthday which is today. Happy Birthay Old Goat.