The Gang of Four

There are others, like Steve Offenbacher (There! He now has a web-presence!) and Handa, and Joel, and DeMeritt, but these guys in the picture are the core. The Corps. The four friends from High-School days who kept up the poker games to the present day (though we haven't in quite a while). It started as a loose group of guys who claimed a table in the Library to read (there was a name: "The Crazed Albanian Wart-hogs"--where that came from, I can't remember).

So there we are (Well, not me. I'm taking the picture...this is, what, maybe ten years ago)

Introductions:

At the far left, is Steve B--retired Navy "lifer" and Internet Entrepreneur. Steve frequently makes comments on this blog and posts challenging questions. He holds the record among the group for being married to the same woman for the longest time.

Dressed in the stylish "Paradise Lake Nursery" shirt is FarmerScott, frequent guest on more than one blog. FarmerScott is the Hydrangea King of Western Washington (and holds a Presidential Office!). He got his lights back today while I was talking to him on the phone.

Sporting the Seattle Mariners cap is Johnson. Johns' was the guy who always read the Sports Page in the Library. He played High-School Basketball, jogged incessantly, and snow-boarded up until breaking his leg last year. He's also worked at the same place for...what, 15 years? Doesn't that mean a gold watch?

Then, at far right, stifling a guffaw is Martin, who has a famous name but is no relation. He does testing, too, and currently works the graveyard shift which makes getting a poker game quite difficult. Though, we did go see "Casino Royale" on his birthday.

Now, why bring this up? Johnson's going in for surgery on Wednesday. Open-heart surgery. The most athletic of the High School chums is having a leaky aortic valve replaced. It's not that risky anymore--his 80 year-young Dad had the operation two months ago and is doing fine, thanks--but it is surgery...and since Pat did so well, maybe you could see it in your heart to send some good thoughts his way for the next 24 hours or so.

Like the doctors say: "Couldn't hurt..."