Personal Journal

Men of Honor, Part 3

I would like to point out the irony of the fact that my "don't read" entry has 17 views, and that's more than I've ever received before. I really didn't want you guys to read it, but I left it open to the public just to see what kind of curiousity it generated.

Today was a pretty good day at work. I got a lot done and I stayed 5 hours. I felt in my strength today, which was really the first time I've felt that since returning 4 weeks ago.

I left and I went for my walk, and the snow was starting to fall, and that's always what I consider a good day in church. I wore my yakfeet and they proved invaluable on the ice today - only slipped once this time.

But my walk had to be cut short by about a mile because today was the day that I was going to take Griz his painting. Dennis was going with me because I'm nervous around Ron Davidson, anyway. Something from my military background, I think. When I'm around a full-bird colonel or higher, I sort of have this idea that I may have to throw myself on a hand grenade at any moment. They have such presence... The ones I've known at least.

So Dennis and I drove out to Davidson's house in the countryside. Nice place. He's a big hunter. Big. That's not my thing, but he has a nice place and some nice trophy game.

Anyhow his wife led us to the workroom, where he was doing some furniture refinishing. He's got a 1,000 square foot heated workshed, so I call it a workroom. And he had his two labs in there with them. The new one is being trained to be a game dog, and she's 7 months old, so he was very rambunctious. I left there smelling like dog, which I've never much cared for, but he was a good pup. Davidson takes terrific care of his animals. I was very impressed with that.

He was genuinely impressed with the painting I got it, and I am pleased with that. I told him what I had sort of prepared to say to him. "You protected my family when it mattered most." and my other stump speech was telling how I learned what great man he was, when he came to me and offered to give me time off with pay to care for Jean. I said there are two types of men, the kind who will wait till you ask a favor, and give it to you, and there are the kind who know you need a favor, and give before you ask. Davidson gave before I had to ask. I think he was pleased to be acknowledged for that. But he was humble about it.

I just realized that. He was humble. Now I'm even more impressed...

Anyhow, Dennis and I didn't talk about it beforehand, but he and I must have been thinking the exact same thing, going back to the farewell party last week, and Farrior not showing up. Dennis point-blank asked Griz if he could ask a personal question, and when Davidson said he might refuse to answer, Dennis asked him about Farrior.

Griz put his hands out and wanted to defend Farrior. Check this out:

Griz, being the man who steps forward before you ask...

Approached Farrior before the party that week, and said he understood Farrior still had political considerations at the place Griz had just been fired from... and that if Farrior wanted to skip Davidson's farewell for those political reasons, Griz said to Farrior he would understand.

Griz gave Farrior the fucking permission not to attend his party.

But I asked Griz a follow-up question. I don't know what I was thinking. Oh yeah, that was after my second beer, when my confidence grew.

I asked Griz if he had been "personally disappointed" that Farrior didn't show up.

Griz shook his head around a bit thinking, not saying yes, not saying no. After Davidson did that for about 5 seconds without producing an answer, I said to him "Your non-answer tells me the answer." And Davidson shrugged.

Yes. He was disappointed by Farrior.

Farrior proved to be the man I guess some of us always feared he really was. Farrior is out for Farrior first, and the fact that Griz made him what he is in that company, Farrior felt no reason to justify taking a career risk.

I used to work for Davidson.

Now I work for Farrior.

I think I'm starting to realize that at work, a whole world run by men with integrity is going to be coming to an end soon. As Davidson's replacement is chosen, the disillusionment brought on by his axing is going to lead the good people I work with on to other things.

Most of us will probably never have that kind of corporate entity to belong to - so human - ever again. I don't know if I want to move on to another job soon, or if I want to wait and see how quickly the ship is sinking.

<sigh>

That place will never be the same again as it was under Griz.