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Posted: **Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:56 pm**

I learned today that my best friend when I was a kid, Manny Flores, died in Galveston, lost in Hurricane Ike. Manny had a huge, lasting influence on me, commanding me to expand my horizons, develop every talent I could imagine having, stay focused, and produce...even when we were kids at middle-school level. We made a blood-brother pact, we planned the future. He, along with my cousin Milton who lived around the corner from him (Milton died in 2003) turned me on to drag racing and Hot Rod and Drag News magazines. He was svengali-like to me (as was Andy Quinn later, who died in 1992), but his own talents and intelligence were always far beyond the small-town mentality of so many of the people we knew...he did things years before the rest of us and he lived a lot harder than so many hard-living guys said they did. He called me a couple of months ago and we talked for an hour. We didn't get fully caught up on everything, but he wanted me to know he was thinking about me and he wanted to let me know he had always kept me in his soul and he wished me well in the future. Manny, wherever you are, I will never forget you. As with Andy, at times I feel like I am the embodiment of your will. Your departure from this world was poetic. We'll catch up one of these days. WC1

Posted: **Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:57 pm**

Sorry again John. You've had too many of these lately. I suppose the older we get ......

Posted: **Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:27 pm**

Kim ("WildcatTwo") knew Manny. They worked together in Galveston and he told me tonight about this...right after I told him about Bubba. He said "What is going on? Everybody's dying!" Yes, the older we get, ProZ. Death and taxes. I just can't help but think it's not that way if we don't make it that way, but the time, the method and the circumstances under which we die are, I believe, to be determined by a higher source...I'm starting to take another look around...kind of taking stock of things...would this be good enough? What about that? These things are making me re-evaluate my life. I like your saying:
"PLAN" your life like you'll live to 120
"LIVE" your life like you could die tomorrow.
It's a very powerful statement and very good advice.
Thanks,
WC1

Posted: **Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:41 pm**

Yup WC, I remember my Mom saying that when I was about knee high to her. Smart lady she was.

Posted: **Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:53 pm**

Sorry about the loss of your friend, John. bp

Posted: **Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:25 pm**

Yikes Catman! I'm so sorry John.

Posted: **Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:24 pm**

Sorry for your loss John

Posted: **Mon Oct 20, 2008 1:14 am**

Sorry for your loss John.