Picnic Dreams

I worked for a forklift company for 20+ years.  My boss was a good friend to me, and being I was one of few women in the parts/service end of things, I often helped him organize picnics and parties.  

So I'm doing my sleep thing last night, and dreaming about a picnic.  It was strange in that the memories of the people at the forklift company mingled with the people I met along the way at my BigBoxStore.   

I remember talking with my boss, Ed, about how these shindigs had grown from about 50 people "back in the day" (the 80s ) to over 400.  

I remember walking the outskirts of the crowd, not really taking part.  Most people were eating.  We always did fantastic BBQs back then.  

There were achievement awards for employees and little gift bags for the kids.  

Maybe I was just missing Ed. He was a great boss, an even better friend, and a personal mentor.  We met when I was just 18, so I truly grew up under his guidance.  He was more worldly than my parents. He had been a cop in Chicago for a while.  His son dated my sister a few times.  I knew his wife, Kathy.  He loved his 65 Mustang painted "honey gold".

For years after he and I both left the company and moved to other states, we stayed in touch with cards and letters.  He was one of the truly good men.