ON DECEMBER 16, 2001, WE LOST A BROTHER. HE DIED ON HIS BIKE COMING HOME FROM A TOY RUN FOR KIDS. THE WEATHER WAS FOUL, RAIN AND COLD, BUT THE DAY HAD BEEN GOOD. WE DIDN'T HAVE HIM FOR LONG, BUT WE MISS HIM LIKE HE'D BEEN THERE FOREVER.

OUR BROTHER ART WAS A GOOD MAN. HE WAS ALWAYS FIRST TO BE THERE, FIRST TO LAUGH AT A JOKE, FIRST TO THROW A PUNCH IF IT WAS NECESSARY. YOU COULD DEPEND ON HIM AND IF HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING, HE DID IT.

IT MAKES ME THINK THAT WE NEVER APPRECIATE OUR BRO'S AS MUCH WHEN THEY'RE ALIVE AS WE SHOULD. AN OLD FRIEND ONCE TOLD ME THAT THE TRUEST THING IN LIFE IS THAT "FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT." WELL, I WISH THAT WASN'T TRUE, BUT I KNOW IT IS. THINK ABOUT THE TIMES WE'VE DIRESPECTED ONE ANOTHER JUST BECAUSE WE THINK WE'RE SUCH TIGHT BRO'S THAT IT WON'T HURT. THINK ABOUT THE TIMES WE EXPECT OUR BROTHERS TO JUST BEND OVER FOR US JUST BECAUSE WE'RE "BRO'S MAN." IS IT RIGHT? FUCK NO IT AIN'T!YET WE DO IT ANYWAY. WELL I THINK I'M GONNA THINK MORE FIRST AND THE RUN MY HEAD FROM NOW ON. IT'S A SHAME IT TAKES SOMETHING LIKE THE LOSS OF A BROTHER TO MAKE US OPEN OUR EYES. KEEP THE FAITH. WCF-FWC

"it just ain't the same anymore"

We were sitting at the bar the other night when one of my older Bro's said something that made me stop and think. He said, "it just ain't the same anymore." What with all the yups and the rubs and the kids riding today, not to mention the women, the old ways were being tossed out like yesterday's garbage. At the time I thought, "you might be right," but the more I thought about it, the more I became convinced that he might be inaccurate, not necessarily wrong, but not quite right either. I remember when there were less Harley riders in the DFW area than there are members of one HOG chapter. I remember when you could walk into a biker bar and have to negotiate your way around bikes; when the smell of new leather was rare, and I remember when everyone had a tool bag and those special parts his bike ate regularly. Now it seems like it's just the reverse. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Why, you might ask? Well, I'll put this forth for your edification: My EVO don't break down! That means no rubbed off paint from a toolbag. No kicker; old men like me need the break. After riding 25 years with nothing but a kick start, I'm fuckin' tired. Hell, my leathers smell new and I'm glad there are so many new potential Bro's out there. My blood kin is almost non-existent, except for my favorite brother, so I enjoy having all this family around me. Me and the old lady never had kids, so now we do. Hell, a bad day in the life is better than a great day in the grind. You know, since our country has grown to the stretching point, we might need to return to the tribe. Our small communities survive because we care. There is enough misery to go around, yet together we can achieve happiness and satisfaction. So I say "I'm glad it ain't the same anymore." I love my Bro's and their families. Won't trade it for gold.

Keep the faith. Till next time, WCF-FWC

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