There are those "fork in the road" times of life. For Phil and his lifelong buddy, the man the kids know as "Uncle Ronnie" it came when Phil moved to an isolated spot in Montana and Ronnie cashed in his holdings in Florida and moved to Thailand. Ronnie and Phil were the boyhood buddies who stayed close even at wild distances. I think each person who knew Ronnie would have their own story of how he made you feel as if you were the only person on earth. I know I have mine and I know Phil has his. If there are any regrets it is that we let life get in the way of making the journey to see Ronnie on his island in Thailand. Ronnie was Phils friend but early on I knew I had to meet him. I came late on the Ronnie scene, after all I was Phils third wife. But Ronnie embraced me for who I was as a person first and Phils latest wife second. It was on a business trip to Florida in the early '90's that I met Phils buddy Ronnie for the first time. I had my young daughter Andrea along as I had planned a side trip to Disneyworld. In a dining room at the Grand Floridian ( a Disney hotel with a Victorian theme) I met the small but well muscled blonde man with the ear to ear grin. He made no secret of checking me out...after all I was his life long friends new wife and besides that Ronnie was a lover of women and so he was appraising me for all of those attributes as well, The three of us hit it off, mostly because there was not one false bone in his body,my body or that of my energetic child. I remember Ronnie holding my hands and commenting that I was a hard working woman (from my tightly nibbled nails and calloused palms). I am sure I made a smart remark but I will always remember his observation that this "business woman" was really a hard working country girl. Ronnie dropped into our lives many times and we went to see him in DeLand as well. I remember climbing a motorhome to watch the divers at the dropzone and getting so high I was afraid to climb down. I was fascinated by his little camper with the fake grass and swimming pool set up. Another trip to Florida and we trekked through his land where he planned to build his home...if only the endangered little turtles would allow it! Ronnie stayed with us in CA whenever he was flying by. Pictures from Phils 50th are still classic especially those chronicling how Ronnie could balance on one leg of a lawn chair with my best crystal goblet in his hand and never spill a drop. We were not so lucky that evening when we burnt our "appetizer" in the microwave! But Ronnie laughed off losses (all but one). Adventures of Ronnie would come our way through an email every six months or so and they always shared his latest exploits as an ex-Patriot. Ronnie (in our world) you belonged to Phil and, indeed, I am sure you belonged to everyone you met (in their hearts and minds as that is how you made people feel)......and then again you belonged to no one . 60 was way too young to go! Sweet dreams sky prince.....and from a Willie Nelson song "You show me your tongue and I'll show you mine" May you find a thousand virgins waiting for you in heaven ready to introduce you to their older experienced sisters!!!
