I am proud to call this man a friend and one swashbuckling faerie. Meet the "Rammer."

Please allow for a brief intermission from our adventure at Disneyland for, by granting it, you also open the door to a purveyor of great magic and a beacon of great light. This man to the left, who we will simply call "The Rammer" represents all that is fine and good in life. Critter and I were drifting lazily though my past which took shape in a pile of disorganized photographs, most of which Critter rightfully chucked aside into the used bin of the banal...graduations, weddings, birthdays, drunken orgies...all the standard crap we pretend we need to go through to come of age. However, not unlike the Ring in Tolkien's magical masterpiece, this photograph somehow edged its way to the top of the pile, its power, its lustre, pushing itself before all others. Gingerly, Critter picked up the picture and set it opposite to his furrowed, bushy brow.

"Who is this?" he asked. "Who is this sailor of life?"

Only the truth would suffice.

"The Rammer."

"But WHO is he??" Critter questioned again, resolute and almost angry. He wanted more than a name, what he was asking for was an answer, a working truth, a design, an equation, something you could work into working for you. Clearly something this man, the Rammer, had achieved himself. Who else could hold such a dashing pose, both relaxed but stern? The definition of "grace at ease."

I felt like Dennis Hopper in Apocolypse Now trying to describe Col. Kurtz to Martin Sheen.

How could I help scratch the surface of this enigma? What could I point to to help uncover and reveal this human grail, who shirtless and wearing tailored short shorts, brings both welcome mirth combined with rain puddle depth to who and whatever he touches.

Ok, that was too many long words to describe a state of mind whose infectious simplicity buzzes around my head like a deranged will-o-wisp.

Ok, this is who he is...

The Rammer:

*A faerie first and foremost. This is a man who looked me dead in the eye and said he'd never been happier except as a green grocer at a supermarket. That was coming from a man who was leading us into the proverbial battle of a large location shoot in San Francisco. I was surprised, scared but mostly impressed at his incredible candor. He then asked me if wanted to go get "fucked up" after the ad agency meeting was over. I love men over forty who still want to "get fucked up."

*He's a nautical man, a swashbuckling skipper of sorts. Not so much the seven seas, but a master of our heartland's lakes, rivers and causeways. There is a certain spirit attached to man drawn by water and Rammer has it. It is the modern day wanderlust.

*He is a lover. plain and simple.

*And honest to god, he loves squash and backgammon. He loves to play and that will never change.

*And most importantly, he is a kind soul and nothing can bring him down. He will walk with the unperturbed grace only children or blind men usually possess but somehow, day in and day out, Rammer found this bright eyed glee within himself and has never let it slip from his fingers.

In the immortal words Mr. Frampton, Erik, "Do you feel like I do?"

For this I salute you brother!