August 4, 2019. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Butch.

Butch is a good fiend. For 6 years in Bethesda he was my Manager. And he was a good one for me. As far as management styles go, Butch was a custodial manager. He was unfailingly pleasant and fun and he was not prone to change anything. Then Butch was asked to take over the Potomac office and I was asked to be the manager of his old Bethesda office, So we attended all the conferences for managers and we had a good time. Butch had fun with our numbers. For the first couple of years Butah would call Regina to compare our volumes. But soon we started to beat them. Soon we buried them so it was no longer fun. I was an activist manager, always trying to get more efficient so we left the Potomac office in the dust. But custodial managers make good managers for many agents. And when he moved to the Annapolis office that office thrived too. Butch was always on duty from 9 to 5. He always remained friends. Today I talked with him on the phone. He is ailing. Since I retired, we have chatted every six months. But now since he is housebound I call him more often. He is living by himself in a rental condo overlooking the water in Annapolis. Two months ago tests were done after he fell which required him to be in bed for the medication. At the end of a month he could not walk. After being in a rehab hospital a month he is home. Therapists and nurses come but not every day. He still is unable to drive. He orders grocery from Whole Foods and dinner from restaurants. He is walking with a walker. His two brothers do not live close to him and they come every month. But Butch is isolated which I think is not good. His brain works well and he spends time with his investments but all he does every day is walk to the mailbox in the condo. And he does his exercises...most of the time. I told him on the phone that he will get better and regain his strength. After all he is only 73. Call him if you know him. He is a sociable guy. I wish him well. His number is 410-991-4094. But pleas, do not tell him that I let the cat out of the bag.