"G" One of the finest men I have ever known

One month ago today one of the finest men I have ever know left this world for his next life, because of cancer. I will call him G, and any of you that know me will know who I am talking about. I believe I could write a book on this person, but I will spare all of you.
Let me start at the begining. I knew G family for most of my life. I remembered him as a small boy, but had actually forgotten about him in adult years. Someone we thought was a mutual friend re-introduced us. (That mutual friend thing turned out to be way wrong for both G and myself, but that my friends is a story for another day) As a girl, all the way into becomming an adult, I had loved horses. I always wanted one as a child, but it was not to be. I have had many friend who owned them and I would ride some with them and spend time around their horses. Another friend's job transfered him to the East coast and he had a strawberry roan horse that he was not going to take with him. I told him I would like to buy it from him. He surprised me by giving me this horse because he knew I would take care of it and give it a good home. Well, surprise. I had no where to put this wonderful gift. The mutual friend said he thought G might board my horse for me. The deal was cut and off I went to pick up my new horse and take it to G's house. I did not have the chance to meet G before we went to pick up the horse, so bring horse and introduction would be on same day. No problems. Mutual friend said to me that G was all about the money and nothing else. All business. I had no problem with this. I paid my debts so we should get along fine. August 30 was the day we moved my horse. A Sunday. Friends, I was so excited I could have just exploded. I was also scared. A horse. Although I had loved them all my life, I had no clue. NO CLUE!! Mutual friend along with me and my husband brought the horse to G place. Mutual friend unloaded horse from trailer and I was standing holding this horse with my hand inside the halter under his chin. Not holding the lead, but with my hand inside the halter. I can remember to this day, this really tall man coming out of the barn. At that moment he looked 10 feet tall to me. Mutual friend introduced us. G looked at me and said, "Don't hold that horse that way. If he jerks his head up, it could break your hand". Not Hello, Hi, Nice to meet you, or anything. I moved my hand right away and held the lead. Friends, at that moment, I was scared to death of G. I thought, Oh Lord, what have I done. We went about discussing the fine points of boarding at G's home. I would pay x $ to him once a month and he told me I had free fun of the barn, tack room, and pasture. Come any time I wanted. The agreement was made and I paid the man for the month of Sept right then and there. Remember during all of this, I still have no clue on how to take care of a horse. G's family was there on this first meeting. I met his wife and was introduced. She ask me did this horse have a name and I told her the name. He had a small daughter that I remember thinking looked exactly like him. Everyone was nice and friendly, but G just scared me to death. After a couple of hours of messing with my new horse, I left my horse in the care of this person I was certain was all business and all about the money. He was nice though, so I thought this business arrangement would work out good.
So my horse owning days began. I would go to the barn and brush my horse and talk to him and feed him. I enjoyed doing these things. Brush, talk, feed. We had the perfect relationship. I was happy and the horse seemed to be also. I discovered this horse would follow me to the far side of the pasture and if I would run back, he would run along beside me. Fun. During all of this, sometimes G would wander out to the barn and talk with me. I would ask questions and he would always answer. I begin to realize he knew so much about horses. The business relationship was slowly turning into friendship. He was a nice man. I also begin to realize how much G was taking care of my horse. He was doing everything except brushing him. There was more to owning a horse than brushing. Imagine that. One morning I had walked to the far side of the pasture and did my normal run back to the barn with my horse running beside me. G was in the barn. When I got back to the barn, he was waiting. "Don't ever do that!" was my greeting. That horse is playing with you and horses kick out when they play and if you get to close he could kick you in the head and maybe kill you. I do not want to come home from work and find you dead in my horse pasture!! Wow, really, I thought. He was right and I stopped doing that. You know, I was not scared of him when he got all over me that day about running with the horse. I realized it was his way and everything would be OK. We went through the Fall and Christmas with me brushing, talking and feeding. G went to see his family over Christmas and ask me to feed all the horses for him. What a thrill. I did exactly as he ask and loved it. January came and I was making plans for Spring and working with my horse. Everything was wonderful. Later in the month, on a Sunday afternoon, I went to see my horse and G mentioned to me he thought his stomach hurt. I learned about walking the horse when his stomach hurt. I must have walked that horse for 2 hours while G and his wife were working out in the horse pasture. He told me not to worry, horse would probably be fine. Later in the week, (Jan 30) my phone rang at 8:00 in morning. G voice was on the other end. "You need to come over here, there is a problem"  I jumped out of shower and went over. Horse was in full colic mode. I did not know what to do. I looked at him and said tell me what to do. G suggested load the horse in trailer and drive him around. Remember the old saying if you have a clean horse trailer a horse will always crap in it. G loaded my horse and we drove him around. Nothing. He said to call the vet. He called the vet and told me to wait there while he ran to his work to take care of one thing and he would be right back. He said not to let the horse lay down. I was so scared. He came back in what seemed like 20 minutes and the vet arrived. The vet exam told the story. Horse had gotten down during the night and rolled and had already twisted. You can try to get horse to Raleigh to vet school for surgery or put him down. I looked at G. I told him I did not know what to do. He said to me, if you want to go to Raleigh I will take you and the horse. I told him I was scared and to please make this decision for me. He said to me, it is your horse and your decision. I told him I did not know what to do and to make decision for me. He ask me if I was sure I wanted him to do this. I said yes. He said I would put the horse down. It is suffering and won't make it to Raleigh. I remember starting to cry. I agreed with G decision because I had come to trust him. He told me to leave and go home and he would take care of everything. I went over and kissed my horse good-bye and left knowing what G was doing for me. As I got into my car to leave he walked over to me and told me to come by his office at work in a couple of days that he wanted to talk to me. I agreed I would and left. That was the last time I saw my horse. G took care of everything for me that day. He missed an entire day of work to be with me and this horse and help me. Even his wife came out when the vet got there. As I was crying and getting into my car to leave I remember looking back and she even had tears in her eyes.
Two days went by and I did what he ask and went by his office at his work. As I sat across from his at his desk, I remember thinking I should not cry. I did. I was not sobbing, but tears were running downs my checks as he and I talked. I ask him what did I do wrong that caused the death of my horse that I loved. He explained that I did not do anything wrong, it just happened. He said it was part of owning horses. I had already paid him for the board for the month of Feb, and he tried to give it back to me. I would not take it. He had used his gas to drive my horse around and used some of his medicine to try and help the horse before the vet came. He ask me was I sure and I was. He talked to me about what happen. He explained to me what happen and how it was not anyone's fault. He told me I was welcome to come to his place and spend time with his horses anytime I wanted. Friends, this man that I had been so scared of the first time I met him, was kind and understanding. He sat across from me that morning and said to me, "I am sorry this happen to you. It is a rotten deal. I will find you another horse and see if we can't make it right." I left that morning not thinking about another horse, but thinking I had a friend. I did go back to G's place and spend some time with his horses a few times. The friendship that begin with a business deal was growing. Would the man who was all about money have spent his time and money helping someone who he had a business deal with? No. G always treated people like he hoped they would treat him back. That did not always work for him, but he was always fair, honest, and good. He connected with people on a personal level like no one I have ever known. He would tall you straight up what the deal was and you could always count on him to follow up with that deal. You knew what he told you was what it was. He was kind. Now I am not putting this man on a pedestal that he would not want to be on. He could make you mad and get mad. He could snap at you and make you feel like he was mad. But this man was one of the finest men I have ever known. He helped me and did more for me than almost anyone I have ever known. He treated me fair, honest, and like his equal. This story goes on and on and on, for several years. In these years there are many more highs and lows. But right up to his leaving this world, G was a good man. Many people loved him and thought him to be a fine man. I will say I loved him dearly as a very special friend and would have done anything in this world for him. He was very good to me and went above being just a friend, many times and in many ways. He taught me about horses and owning them and riding them and taking care of them. He taught me about life. How you should live your life and how you should treat others. His impact on my life will be with me for the rest of mine and I will never forget him. All I have today; horse, tack, horse knowledge is due to him and I will never forget. I will try hard to live my life like him, treating others fair and honest. Treating them like I would hope they would treat me. This small book, as it turned out, is the begining story of my friendship with G. Like I said it goes on and on for several years. About a year and a half after my putting that horse down with G by my side, I got a phone call one night. When I looked down, I saw it was G calling me. I remember thinking, what does he want this time of night. When I answered his voice was on the other end. I said "Hi" and "What are you doing?" The voice on the other end of the phone said "Hello, I just bought you a horse...........................................................................................................
I will remember you forever G and the memories I cherish. Thank you for being my friend and treating me as wonderful as you did. You are one of the finest men I have ever known and it was my honor to have known you.