To the editor:
It’s been kind of a rough patch around here lately.
One of our “beer dogs,” Rolling Rock, had been nearing the end of her warranty, and I had to take her into Doc Bresters’ on his first day back to have her ushered into the other side. She was one damn fine dog.
She and her sister, Amber Bock, AKA Black Dog and Brown Dog, were always tickled to do anything with me.
I’ve got a walking stick I use on my contemplative strolls into the woods. When I’d go into the garage, the girls would watch with great anticipation and as soon as I’d grab the stick, they would hop around joyously and howl with much glee: “Yippee! We’re going for a walk!”
It didn’t take much to make ‘em happy. And that nice, even disposition was always therapeutic.
“Hey, girl! We won the lottery today!”
“Great! Let’s go for a walk!”
“Hey, girl. We went broke today.”
“Great! Let’s go for a walk!”
When I was happy, she was happy. When I was down, she was comforting.
When I was a little deep in my cup and speaking in tongues, unlike the rest of the world, she understood every word and usually thought I was a genius.
She made all situations better and she will be painfully missed.
Then I got to thinking about Dave Woods in much the same way.
Dave and I go back some — back to the old golf club, the old Pine Room, election cycles, hunting seasons, good times and times less good. And, you know, through everything that was his life, he was a joy to be around, even-tempered and pretty darned steady.
As the youngest circuit court judge in Indiana, he did an admirable job of looking at the facts, weighing both sides of the issue and ruling justly and fairly. Those same quality traits made him a great dad and granddad, and later, a great public servant. And especially a great friend.
Was he perfect? Probably not. None of us is, but he could make lemonade outta lemons better than anyone I know. No matter what was going on, he had that great smile and great laugh and he just made everything a bit better for the rest of us.
He will be painfully missed.
And one more thing, Dave: If you don’t mind, keep an eye out for Black Dog ‘til we come along, eh?
Blake Wolpert, Bear Wallow Hill
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