When I was a youngster I had a very best friend named Leanne. She and I were pals and we had lots of fun together.
Every Christmas her dad, Lee, would take us up the old logging roads to hunt for the annual Christmas tree. He was a logger and knew all of the best spots. For some reason, we never had to pay for a Christmas tree. We always stopped at "Lee's Camp" on the way for hot chocolate. We had such great fun. I always thought he must be the very best dad in the whole world.
One year at Christmas he had a Palomino horse in the backyard to surprise Leanne. And surprise he did. We had many wonderful times on the back of the beautiful horse. Eventually, they moved away, but still had me come to their new place and stay. They had a place for the horse now.
About a year after they moved, Lee was in a logging accident. I thought the world would come to an end without this wonderful, big, burly man, but life went on, much to my surprise, and most people didn't even know that the world had lost one of its most important people.
I continue to think of that wonderful, special friend. Sometimes we are just lucky to have known someone, and that is how I feel about Lee. I always think of him at Christmastime and every time I pass by "Lee's Camp." It is still called that, you know.
