[Zeke]

As I have mentioned before, my family was the poster for "Madmen." I swear the writers knew my dad, the Don Draper of the series. The only thing they left out of the script was the country club. My parents were not a good match and they stayed together too long, until I was 18. I left, been on my own ever since and repudiated country clubs, business social clubs and pretty much all things that many consider to be community status.

I've worked as a construction contractor for the majority of my life and have worked for every kind of person including people who had leaking Harley's in their living room to people living on the golf course in Beverly Hills.

Generally, people are pretty good on the surface but you really don't want to know more. So hanging out is not my style. Get in and get out is. That includes every personal relationship. There are a couple of exceptions, my 2nd wife now of 42 years being first and foremost. My family is extinct at my death. Hers goes on and on and even she is cutting ties.

The people that I get along with the best have labored long and hard for the same cross section that I have. We have stories. We generally see people for who they are. I don't associate with liars, cheats, thieves or adulterers. One chance.

Everyone gets a nickname that loosely describes them. That's probably the biggest source of humor in my life.