My neighbor at T Bend, Ralph. Ralph is prolly between 65 and 70 yrs old. Ralph fishes EVERY day, Ralph opens the Lowes Creek Campground Office/Store EVERY morning before the Park Owners get up. Fires up the coffee for any and all. The Park Owners get there and Ralph goes fishin..EVERY day. He comes in between 10 and 12 and typically mixes himself a toddy or two, then returns to the office, most times with some cold beers in a sack on his golf cart to play dominoes or cards around 2pm with the other "regulars". He comes home after that, eats a bite and goes to bed. Repeat the next day. Has done this for many years. Super nice guy, very laid back, just loves to fish, don't want nuttin from nobody, just to get up another day and fish. A few months ago Ralph was diagnosed with lung cancer. He started the chemo and we all hoped for the best. I talked with him as we were crossing paths at the boat ramp this Spring just a few weeks ago. Ralph is now in the hospital in Houston with a good chance he won't come out from what I was told yesterday.
I have only known him for about 3 yrs, but we had some great conversations and fished together a few times. It just hurts my heart to think he has run out of line. I look over there at his boat and pickup hooked up and they ain't moved for several weeks. An empty feeling. I pray he can make it back to the lake.