Hey Howdy Hey Tappers!
Since we’re waiting for the Superheroes removal update, I’m going to deviate, briefly, from TSTO coverage to bring you an update on something else…..
For those of you that have been around this site since it launched, or at least within the first couple of months of launch, this story doesn’t need an explanation….but bear with me as I fill our newer readers (of the last 2 years) in on some of the backstory…
This blog was started nearly 3 years ago, and it was started on the philosophy that TSTO is a game. And games should be fun. It was also started by two old friends, myself and Mark. In the weeks that followed the blog launch we added smart, wonderful people to the mix Wookiee and Bunny. Who would soon become not just my friends…but my family.
It wasn’t long after the blog started, and Bunny & Wookiee joined the mix, that Mark would get pulled away for work. His schedule just got so busy he couldn’t make the time commitment to blog full time. We all understood.
And no, this isn’t a story about Mark. No, this is a story about someone who came along after Mark left us. You see, shortly after Mark left we added another voice to the mix….Pat, aka Cranky Old Guy.
At first things were great, Pat was part of the team and I considered him a good friend. I’d bounce ideas off of him and vice versa. And we all loved the perspective he brought to the site. You know…that perspective of yelling at the clouds….
Of course, as many of you can tell by who writes on the site now….it didn’t last very long. Roughly 3 months after starting to write for Addicts, Pat (and Ryan) left the site to start TSTO Friends.
The reasons why don’t matter. And this isn’t a post to rehash the past…. let’s just say things were said and lines were drawn. And it became…us vs. them.
But that all changed the day Riley was born.
You see, even though things were still said back and forth…the day Riley was born everyone grew up and it all stopped.
Pat, to his credit, started it. He reached out to me to extend his congratulations and best wishes. And offer up his thoughts for Riley while she was in the NICU. And I extended my best wishes to his family, as he announced his daughter had gotten engaged right around the same time Riley was born. As he put it…”the circle of life continues”.
After that time Pat and I had exchanged text messages often, usually discussing the latest TSTO Event or topic dominating the news headlines (let’s face it…99% political). And yes, I even donated to his Uganda project. (it really is good work he’s doing there)
Now that everyone is caught up, let’s fast forward nearly 8 months….
One of Pat’s five daughters lives in New Jersey, actually not that far from me. Earlier this month he embarked on a cross country road trip with his wife and mentioned he’d be in New Jersey and we both suggested that we finally get together.
So, on a hot and sticky Tuesday afternoon in July Cranky Old Guy and I sat down and “broke bread” together. Of course Riley, his wife and daughter were there as well…we both figured we might need a buffer or 3 😉
We laughed and talked over a few beers and great food. We both apologized, and forgiveness happened. As we realized we agreed on much more than we disagreed on.
Pat, his wife and daughter are all lovely people inside and out. (and although I didn’t meet them, I’m sure his other 4 daughters are just as lovely) We talked about TSTO (naturally), but we also discussed his daughter’s upcoming wedding, his work in Uganda, college football…and of course baseball! (his daughter is an avid baseball fan, and although she supports the Mets…ugh…at least it’s not the RedSox. 😉 )
You can tell he’s passionate about his work in Uganda, bringing clean water and better living conditions to the children in the Buyijja School. As well as helping to improve wages for the teachers that educated them. It is great work, and if you’d like to get involved (or donate) you can visit his Friends of Buyijja website here.
So, the hatchet is buried. Forgiveness has been granted by both parties and we’re ready to move on. Friends once again.
So Pat, thank you for reaching out, thank you for apologizing and thank you for a wonderful lunch.
Share your thoughts on the comments below…