Go Duane!!

My Buddy Duane just got a directorship of a State Agency or program all I now that he is now the top-dog. This is so strange to see these young guys take positions of State leadership. When Duane was this new face in the local Rehabilitation constellation. At least I had never seen him before. I was still working in Independent Living and this new guy started showing up to some of our staff meetings and other activities we had going. Then I found out Duane was heading up the Center for Assistive Technology across town, who says they are independent but are really Vocational Rehabilitation. Old Duane liked us guys in wheelchairs ,actually he really liked the para’s (the jock heads) but he got along well with the quads on staff as well. I chairs though and he got to be one of our best supporters.

Duane and I started doing lunch, usually one a quarter. I felt I was spying on Rehab at the time. I was surprised to see him as one of them young toughs at the Agency. Duane did not necessarily make trouble but he did not shy a way from a fight. I did not know that his position with in the rehab agency was as high in the organizational food chain as it was and then something happened and the next thing I new he was gone entirely. I doubt he got fired but Duane was no longer with rehab. Duane popped up in another State office entirely and Duane was doing good real good. He worked hard. We did not have lunch as often as we did and he had to cancel a couple lunch dates the guy seemed totally busy. I stepped back, figured Duane had to do his thing. I got involved in my job and we sort of lost track...it's easy to do. Then this morning an email blooped up on my screen. It was one of the State Directors announcing my buddy Duane was being installed as director of one of the largest and toughest Divisions in the State. This is going to be a big ass job. If i thought Duane was busy before I bet I bet I ain't seen nothing yet.

I don't really know how tough Duane is. Do I think he is tough enough for this job I think he is. I guess if I am concerned about anything it is the political side of the position. Duane is a real person, genuine and has never had time for the crap these types of job puts a person through. Duane reminds me of Bruce Willis, he looks good when he shaves his head, wears a tank top muscle shirt and wears those little granny sun glasses. He looked cool almost like he was trying to recapture his youth. I guess he was to degree but I think he was also biding his time till this kind of position opened up. He got the plumb now and I guess the other stuff will go to the back of he closet. I will miss them but I will also be very interested in seeing take this new responsibility on and sees how he wears it. I fired off an email to my buddy Duane after I got the notification, congratulating him and telling him to make time for me when the snow melts and he gets settled into his new office. It's one of those nice things a person writes to a friend when the moves on with their lives to a level where you don't fit. Half an hour later I got a reply...'make time for me, Meadowlark let's do lunch in a couple of weeks.' I smiled to myself and printed out the email.