My Inspirational Friend

Jerry Leonard was not only my friend, he was my best friend. I met Jerry in 2002; did you ever meet someone that you immediately clicked with? It was that way for Jerry and me.

Jerry's nick name was Piz, mine was Rocky. Piz was always in a good mood, never upset about anything, always had an even keeled attitude about everything. I loved working with him, I would get to work early, he started a half hour before me, I would sit with him every morning, drink coffee, talk about the stock market, his grand kids, and my daughter.

I would be sitting at the table in the break room, he would get to work in his usual good mood, come behind me and and jokingly get me by my neck muscles and say morning Rocco. I would say morning Pizzarini, laughing. I never knew how close you could become to someone in such a short time.

Right before Piz retired during one of our morning talks he said just think Rocco, in a few weeks at this time I'll still be in bed while you're working. A week after he retired, he called me in my office to say he got all of his money back in the stock market since it fell on 9-11.

He called me the next week and wanted to buy me breakfast, I couldn't make it. The third week of his retirement he called me, but I was busy and didn't get to return his call.

On April 23 a lot of bosses and owners came into my office. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. As the tears came streaming down my face, I could barely walk or raise my arms. I had a drawer at that time I kept things in that are important to me, like cards from my wife and daughter, pictures from my trip to St. Louis, and this newspaper article that I haven't been able to look at until now. I cry as I reflect about the people in my life.

Reach BriBri by email to comment: swright_1967@hotmail.com

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