JUST STORIES - thought you might read about that I've wrote and was seen in Skunk Dots Magazine.
Ridin' Forever Free
There are people that cross our road of life that leave an impression and a piece of them with us – forever. This story is of about one of our true friends which have deliberately made a big impact on our lives…and the true meaning of a true-blue friend.
His friendship will last only until the people he shared his life with will have died following him. Then we all will become just a name. This gets me back to a head stone, “It isn’t your date of birth or your date of death that are most important to anyone’s life but the dash that is in-between which you make - a quality life or not for yourself. It’s your choice.” This man lived life to the uptmost fullest.
My husband’s and my friendship with Clayde Arie, AKA Bandido Toke (1940-2007), started roughly 15 years ago. It was a Texas hot, humid, sunny, early morning mid-May’ish and we just opened the gates that surrounded our motorcycle shop in Cleveland. My husband and I was sitting at the picnic table, as every morning, having our morning go-juice (coffee), relaxing, and trying to get geared up for our business activities. In pulled a pick-up, maybe, a potential customer after all he pulled into our place of business. Out of the truck appeared this tall, slender, older, distinguished looking man with a lot of character. He strolled over to the picnic table, introduced himself as Clay, and asked if we had any more coffee that he could have. Of course, we did – with many more to come. Our shop had only been open a few months when he came over to check us out since he lived in the area.
Immediately, when he got out of his truck, I had a feeling that this was just not an ordinary potential customer – this first cup of coffee was a start of an every morning ritual before the doors of our business opened. Clay first started talking about his family, building a Volkswagon trike, and his retirement from the electrical business. After a couple weeks, he dragged over an umbrella to place over the picnic table. We were feeling “comfortable” with him. And he was with us through a developing friendship.
One day, Clay asked, “How do you feel about Bandidos?” We both confirmed that we’ve never had an issue with any patch holder, “Why?” He lifted up the back of his shirt, there on his back was a Bandido tattoo with the date 1966. Whoa, let me do my calculation, Bandido’s were started in 1966 by the “mother” Don Chambers and he asked a very few of his hand-picked friends to join him. There we go. Oh, oh, this new friend of ours was an icon of sorts. Clay immediately explained, he had taken a leave of absence from his club because of his family but he again was joining his Brothers to ride with them. By the way, from this point on, he requested we call him by Bandido Toke – which we did-with true deserved respect. He went back as the President of San Leon Chapter.
Bandido Toke still came over every morning for coffee and we still did things as friends. Toke was a man of wisdom, so we listened to all advice and recommendations… on any subject. During a length of time, we all became very close – we thought a lot of him and vice-versa. We went through together many years of ups and downs with our family (children & grandchildren), our financial affairs, and health problems…basically, his. He brought over a few of his Bandido Brothers from time-to-time and we had the priviledge of meeting quite a few of the ole timers before their passing.
As time passed, Bandido Toke was able to “run with the pack” and was blessed to have his health last enough to do so. I remember a time when he rode to Shreveport, LA where we was performing a motorcycle race – he rode up on his motorcycle by himself and rode back even when his health was failing. He just wanted to see us, his Brothers, and just see if he could just ride…very determined and stubborn man.
Then about five years ago, our youngest grandson was born – Bandido Toke took him under his wing like a Godfather. When Lil’ Jakie was 6 months old, he was running full force in his walker, went over to Toke, and Toke gave him a wrench to play with. Here’s a lil’ blue-eyed, blonde haired baby with a wrench. The boy immediately went over to his grandfather’s (my husband Jim) drag bike that was sitting in the living room and started fooling with a bolt. That was the start of my grandson’s relationship with his oldest and bestest friend, Toke, the last five years. Toke was so proud of him, on and off the race track. The only conflict they had was the routine wedges. Jacob expected wedges with every greeting from Toke – they were buds-forever. In fact, Bandido Toke always said, “Jacob was a Bandido in-training.”
When Toke’s health started deteriorating, he would not come over quite so often but he surely would phone every morning. Always saying, “You better answer that phone to me.” The last hospital stay seemed just like all the rest and he always bounced back …but not this time. We got THE phone call. Bandido Toke had a grand send-off – his Brothers, his family, and his friends. My grandson went to his buddy’s funeral and he asked, “How can I say good-bye without saying Hi?” Out of the mouth’s of children. This reminded me that our friend has no more pain and he is in a better place where he never has to say “good-bye”…Bandido Toke only had to say “hi”. I still wait for his phone calls, his voice, and his e-mails…even since he’s been gone since January 2007.
Life has not been just right without him...we still have the table with the umbrella that he would sit at every morning for coffee...once, in a while, I swear I see him there.
I just know he’s up there with his brothers, laughing at me right now for missing him…I am reminded, I have unfinished tasks left in my life before we meet again.
Just right after Toke's funeral, my grandson looked up to the Heavens and said, "God, I'm glad Toke is up there with you - I can't be there with him right now you know. Oh, thanks for giving him a bike that never breaks down cause I can't fix it either. He so much loves to ride...now he can without pain."
Until we meet again, Toke, ride the Heavens with God…The Bandido Nation send their blessings and respect.
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