Paul

Funny how I come back to this everytime I'm supposed to be doing something different--namely, academic writing for a Masters degree that I never got... probably for this reason.

There's a friend of mine, Paul Lynch, who is worth spending a couple of sentences talking about. Paul is a 60-something New Hampshire native with a Florida accent who comes around to our motorcycle shop nights to observe each of our projects and dump some stories he has sitting around. The man is a what I would imagine a fox to be if they took on the human form right down to the strawberry blonde/red hair. He has the ability to spin anecdotes into mechanical advice in way that leaves your thoughts up--the world, your own story, his story, and the guts of the bike all weaving in between each other like a blanket.
It only took a meeting or two for Paul to convey that his heart is quite thoroughly decimated from a massive heart attack nearly five years ago, from which he admits was resultant of decades of hard drinking. His heart operates at 16% of normal functioning for someone his age. The doctors tell him without reservation that it's not medically possible for him to continue daily life with his heart in the condition that it is. Despite this Paul works full time, builds and rides vintage Montesas, and teaches chess at a local community college. That dead man walking does more than the goddamn rest. Hell he does at least 4 times what I can boast for my productivity.
There are days when Paul looks worried. He talks as if he's constantly telling a story--the same story-- which seems to keep everything flowing, like he doesn't have any secrets. He's a dying man and he'll tell you that "Today I'm dying quicker than usual." The joy in his tale comes from the defiance of living well while his weak heart still beats.
I wonder if we'll even know when Paul dies. I almost feel compelled to check on him every couple of days half-expecting a still silence, no response.
Don't compromise on life. Don't accept living a half life because death will just round up anyways. Your mind will stay sharp if you sharpen it and being sharp is what makes this all a fun place to be.