GRANT

I've actually known Grant for about 14 years. He's been my roommate for about 6 years now and still is. He is a GREAT guy and really close friend. I would describe him more as a brother. Whenever we go anywhere or do anything Grant comes along. It's just kind of a given. If you are going to do something Grant is coming. We don't usually take him to places he doesn't want to go but if he doesn't really like where we are going he doesn't say anything, he just comes along and we make it fun anyway.

Grant is quite the prankster. He is always poking you while you have your hands full, or making some snide comment, or splashing you with water when you can't get him back... usually.

He's just finished poking me in the side again in this picture....

But then again there are those times when I can catch him and "embarrass" him...

and sometimes I mean ... "him-bare-assed" when I say "embarrassed."

Notice that happy little smirk he gets right before he runs...

He's actually pretty cool. and he hardly complains about living with and being out with Marines...

At the Festival of Tall Ships with Gunny Dave and me...

Grant comes along whether it's Coit Tower in San Fran or a Jail in Bridgeport California, he is there with me.

Maybe sometimes he should stay home so I have someone to bail me out...

I've dragged Grant to a lot of different places. From riding horses to snow camping. From Vegas to San Francisco to Mexico to the Sierra Nevada Mountains he's been a good sport and always fun to be around.

Grant is not much of a cowboy., being from Virginia. But for my birthday a couple years ago this horse took him on a tour of the bushes and an unforgettable little gallop. The words I remembered most were Grant yelling at his horse ,

"NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO!!!!!!!!

On Alcatraz

I don't remember making him put that on....

or that...

Now I do remember saying "Sunscreen??? We don't need no stinking sunscreen!!! Have a couple more shots and you won't feel a thing!"

So I said, "Of course there's a hot springs just steps from here... and no you won't be cold... The high is 16 degrees but it will warm up..... would I lie to you???? Isn't camping fun????"

Just keep practicing.... Now when the bear comes, you run in between the front paws where you are so close he can't reach you...

Another trip Grant & I took was to Bridgeport, California. It is on the east side of the Sierra Nevada mountains and dangerously close to Pickle Meadows (the Marine Corps Cold Weather Training Camp), but I didn't tell him about that. I had to go to Mono County, the County Seat to record some documents and he went with me. Of course he also shocked me with a shocking pen in a gas station and I scared a bunch of people with my verbiage as he laughed his head off.

But I can get even with him by taking him to stores where they have shiny things he has to buy,,, and he spends all his money... it's a sickness... he can't resist....

We also went to Bodie. It's the largest U.S. ghost town . It's a National Park now . We visited the saloons and jail... I guess it was like any other trip we've taken. He seems to have an affinity for jails...

Too much Oz...

At the 4 Queens in Vegas on the old strip

Our Vegas trips include shows, hanging out with SHOWGIRLS, bars, gorillas, tigers and whacking people with chickens...

...don't ask.

And then there are all the other "normal " times...

All those other sane and happy normal times...

NORMAL TIMES

He seems happy... well at least with the plastic surgery, tattoos, lobotomy and witness protection program... he may be again someday.

"Help me, please... someone help me"

Suffice it to say, after living with us, Grant's life will never be normal again. Hopefully he can get out in a few years and he can have his records sealed by reason of temporary insanity and bad influence, provided he stick to the terms of his parole and he inform on the right people and the jury convicts...

Yes... normal...

...as can be expected.