The Ride
The Ride
True Friends
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True Friends

a bittersweet moment with Papa sharing his memories with Nino and Virgil

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Nino (left), Papa (right) | Stowe, Vermont. 1977.

Following him away from the party noise, I hurried to switch my audio recorder on. I had a feeling whatever he was going to tell me was something I’d want to keep.

Immediately he began reading the poem he wrote about Nino titled “True Friends.”

Papa (left) avenges loss to Nino (right) winning this race at Steamboat Springs. 1992.
“These last two lines we both believe 
Even though he’s bigger than me
Always True Friends no matter the cost
I’m the big brother he never had
And he’s like the little one I lost”

Choked up, he went on to tell stories from his time skiing with Nino, laughing about the day they raced at Steamboat Springs.

“If you’ve got another minute,” he said, “I’ve got one of Virgil.”

Papa (left) with his arm around Virgil (right). 1977.

I told him that I didn’t know he liked poetry.

“I only did it for a short period of time. It’s like my paintings. I only painted like 10-12 pictures and then I quit.””

“I didn’t I know you painted,” I said.

By the end of the poem, the lump in his throat returned.

"Back to the wall his chances frail 
he’s taken many a hit
tough through it all he did not fail
he truly is True Grit

As I watched little tears run down his cheeks, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.


This story is written in memory of Worthy Spear.

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