A Dude Named TOG

TOG is my contact on the client site I’m currently contracted on. He is in his mid fifties, married and just sent his second, and last, child off to college.

The nickname of TOG he gave himself. When a Lieutenant (LT) said he wanted to fill a position, TOG’s old position, he said he wanted to fill it with a younger person. He jokingly said, “What am I, The Old Guy?” He started signing his emails, to the LT, as TOG. He made the mistake of telling me the story. Well not really because he knows how I am. So I started calling him TOG, but then I would tell others he knows. I don’t think they quite got it but I would get a phone call from him asking if I told this person or that person and we would laugh. In the end I believe I’m the only one who calls him TOG.

I’ve heard stories of how TOG rebelled against his father who’s was a high ranking officer in the Army. I saw the pictures of him with long wild hair. Now what hair there is he shaves and he has a white beard. He looks like a young Gandalf dressed in Harley gear and gone all biker. He loves to wear his overalls and he refrains from wearing his leather dew cap and tie dye or Harley shirts at work. We talk nearly every morning and when I ask him how he is the usual reply is, “It just don’t get no better than this!”

He’s always ready with a funny story, email or saying such as “Don’t put your finger where you wouldn’t put your nose.” His hobbies are his motorcycles. He has a Harley and a chopper he built himself and takes to bike shows. He’s even won some awards. Recently, he got a new toy... his low riding truck.

I often hear stories from the bike shows and the rowdy boys he hangs with. TOG doesn’t drink because he doesn’t need to, he prefers to sit back and watch his friends in action. He’s a reader of my blog and tells me he is keeping an eye out for a man for me. I said, “What are ya gonna do? Approach some biker dude and ask him if he’s single?” I can almost envision him doing this and it cracks me up.

He is in all sense a Good Ole Country Boy and he enjoys the simple things in life. He doesn’t let anything get to him and just moves forward with whatever is necessary to get the job done. He’s a great friend.

Keep an eye out for more anecdotes from TOG.