Single picture In Neutral's fambly photo album. Fifty-four year old dude leaning against a big royal palm, surf in the background. Hand-printed caption on bottom of frame: "Curt - Naples Beach Club - 1939".
Curt, an engineer who drove freight trains between Columbus, OH and Indianapolis, IN, loved to to fish. He and a few railroad buddies would come to SW FL on vacation, book charters and try the salt. That's where the photo was taken.
Curt never played any sports, but became a baseball and football fan when Neutral showed up.
Curt took Neutral fishing for the first time as soon as he could walk. Sometimes they talked about fishing, but mostly they sat and talked about life. The lessons were about how to do things right.
Curt was an easy guy to like. Curt was a man's man.
We went fishing for the final time less than a week before he passed. Neutral was able to park the car just a few feet from the bank, so Curt (who was 80) didn't have far to walk. Two guys sitting on upside down 5 gallon buckets, enjoying a nice, sunny day. Not really talking about too much that day.
We had already covered most of the important stuff. After 21 years, each guy already knew what the other one was thinking.
Fact of Life: Today's world would be a much better place if every man had a fisherman like Curt for a mentor. Put it in the bank.