Sunday Night With John: They Don't Make Them Like They Used To

Ryan and I on one of our  many hiking trips. Anne is always the one taking the pictures. 

I’m not a man’s man. I can probably be filed under the “They don’t make them like they used to” column. I never learned how to change the oil in a car, I’m not Mr. Fix it, and I claim to be allergic to manual labor.  You can probably trace it back to my dad teaching me how to play chess, read comic books, and play with Lego sets. Ryan, my friend over the last four years is the definition of “They sure do make some like they used to.” He can fix about anything, loves hunting, fishing, building, and can start a fire by looking at the logs.

I met Ryan through Anne, my wife. They were neighbors in Iowa City, and their parents are neighbors in Mason City, Iowa where Anne and Ryan grew up. Ryan is the strong silent type. How he was ever ok hanging out with a loud over talker like me is a question only he can answer. We officially bonded over the fact I started backpacking and that was an activity he wanted to get involved in. Anne made me aware of how handy Ryan would be on the trail. I quickly invited him to improve our chances of surviving. I mean my aloofness was going to get me in trouble at some point wandering around the woods.  We were hiking the Superior Ridge Hiking Trails when we stopped to camp for the night where four young twenty-something’s where having trouble starting the fire at our campsite.  Ryan began to chuckle to himself, took over the fire making responsibilities, and we were roasting marshmallows five minutes later. The man’s man came through to show the young bucks how it’s done.

A few months later it was pouring down rain on our wedding day.  We originally planned to get married under a beautiful tree but it just wasn’t in the cards due to the unrelenting rain. I pointed out my friend Ryan in the crowd and said, “Ryan, change of plans, Anne and I are getting married under those lights, clear the area.” I asked Ryan because I knew he would get it done quick and with finesse and style.  

This week Anne and I say goodbye and good luck to Ryan as he moves to Minneapolis. We will see him again and there are future hiking trips to take but it won’t be as regular as it was.  It gets tougher as you age to find genuine people and be lucky enough to have them turn out to be great friends. We went on one last camping trip with Ryan last weekend with extended friends, and yet again he was the one starting the fire and cooking the food. We jokingly started calling him “Dad.” It’s not true when people say; “They don’t make them like we used too.” There are stand-up guys all over and I’m lucky enough to call one my friend. Anne and I will miss Ryan, and I begin the search for somebody who can keep me alive while I’m out wandering the woods.