(submitted August 7, 2009)

Wayland and I go back a long ways. I believe I first met Wayland at Teen Camp in Bellevue Idaho during the summer of 1959. But we did not really get acquainted until getting together at Canyonville Bible Academy in Canyonville, Oregon later that year. From the Fall of 1959 for the next five years I spent far more time with Wayland than I did anyone else including my parents. There are so many memories and so many good times that there is no way that I can document them all. And anyway perhaps many of them should not be.

So where do I start? We all know that Wayland loved running. I never did quite understand how anyone could enjoy such a thing. But I certainly do know where it started. It seems that one means of punishment at CBA was to make you run. There were many times that we were driven out of town a few miles in the middle of the night and then forced to run back to our room. I am here to tell you that we put in a lot of miles. Wayland then thought it was a good idea to join the 500 Mile Club. If one could clearly document running 500 or more miles during the school year they would letter in Track. Well we both lettered our Freshman year with miles to spare. I would have never made it if it hadn't been for Wayland. He was the one that kept me motivated and would drag me out on a ten mile run to Days Creek on an early Saturday Morning. One weekend we ran to Winston from Canyonville and back. That little jaunt booked us both 50 miles a piece and I am still hurting from it I think. Not Wayland.. Somehow he got running in his blood and as most of you know ran a number of miles everyday up until a few years ago when he was no longer able to do so. He always kept himself in such good shape and perhaps running attributed to part of it.

Not sure how the school ever allowed Wayland and I to be roommates but starting our Sophomore year we were. Wow the two of us together were something else. I am not sure who was a bad influence on whom but we learned a great deal our Sophomore year and it wasn't Biology for sure. We played more practical jokes than you can imagine and we managed to go the entire year without getting our "gold card" punched. We learned how to tie fishing line to the lids of the toilets in the men's room and then when the place was full and very busy during a class break we would pull the line from the basement and all the lids would go closed just at the right time. Pretty cool! Or not so cool depending on which end of the line you were.

We learned that pushing and hiding Mr Haymes' car is the same as car theft and we became acquainted with the Canyonville Jail. Yes they do have one. Of course we also became acquainted with the one in Roseburg and Bend during our hitchhiking episodes. Now why would the Police even think we were run a-ways. We were very astute students, just a little broke. And the jails were warm and a whole lot cheaper than any motel.

Of course we filled some of the seniors rooms from floor to ceiling with newspapers when they were away on Senior Sneak. I never did understand how they always suspected us first. Wow that took us hours to haul all those newspapers down to the burn barrel. One of Wayland's better ones was quietly going down the hall tying a rope from door knob to door knob across the hall and back and forth. Our doors swung in so essentially we had one floor pretty much locked in their rooms. We then let a candle and pulled the master electrical switch that killed all the power including the exit lights. We then yelled "fire" and watched all the guys jerking on their doors trying to get out. Other people including the Boy's dean didn't think that was as funny as we did. Turning the hot water off while Chuck Sanders was in the shower was always an old stand by. We finally got caught and took a swim in Canyon Creek but it was worth it. Chuck Sanders loved to sing while he was taking a shower and oh how his voice changed when the ice water hit him. Setting alarm clocks all over in one of our classes each set to go off about every five minutes would have been a good idea but we had not thought it through and the only way to get all the borrowed clocks back was to confess. That was tough but we no way could buy 10 alarm clocks.

Wayland had the idea that we should paint our room. The school gave us permission. We had not told them that it was going to be black. We painted our room totally flat black. Moved out all our furniture and had our mattresses on the floor. Now don't you think the dean was a little surprised when he stopped by for his room inspection. Oh Wayland... What a dumb idea. Just a lot of extra work as we had to paint it again. It seems we become concerned about fire safety in our old barracks so we made a rope ladder so that we could escape should a fire ever occur. Well of course a fire never did but we had to test it on a number of occasions only to find out that Mrs. Hodges does not sleep well and seen us crawling down this rope ladder in the middle of the night from her window. Wayland over looked that in his plans. And I still don&'t understand why they didn't believe us as we told them we were only testing our fire escape.

Mail call was always a highlight and it was so cool to have your name called. Well our classmate Bob Thompson seemed to get his name called more than anyone else and we thought we might be able to change that. We went to the library and cut out every coupon we could for free information about whatever. One Saturday morning I think we had about 50 pieces of mail each. It was way cool. I think they must still be getting Victoria Secret catalogs or whatever but it was fun at the time.

Then along came our Junior year. We were back together again. If only they had known. We had experience now and become more brave. There was a rule that the boys could not cross this gray line that was painted in front of the girls dorm. Well guys could walk their girl friends there and tell them goodnight at the line but could not cross it with out getting a work off. (Chopping wood for an hour) We got pretty good at that too. Anyway we painted the line red and then crossed and of course got the work off. We objected as we had not crossed the gray line. The rule was simply changed to "red line." Another cord of wood. And it was always easier for Wayland than for me.

We had a hide away 50 cc Honda motorbike. We joined a bowling league in Myrtle Creek and would ride that little thing up there Saturday after Saturday. Not sure bowling was very exciting but riding that little thing on the freeway sure was. We also had a hide away boat north of town that we would take out on the Umpqua river and what adventures we would have. I really can't remember where Wayland came by that boat. Salmon fishing with a pitch fork may not be legal unless you are an Indian and we were simply playing Indians. Not sure what the limit was but I am sure we exceeded it a few times. And with our energy we could easily climb Canyon Mountain and explored a good portion of it. There are lots of old mines up there that we loved to explore. Once we found an old box of dynamite that we were able to detonate. Wow! What a blast! Not sure where Wayland learned all these things.

And Life has been an adventure with Wayland. He had a way of making it exciting. He was always there for you. He was dependable trustworthy and of the highest integrity. He was one guy you could count on. Above all else he was humorous and enjoyed life to its fullest. Later when I was home on leave from the Army he helped me out with getting a diamond engagement ring for my dear wife. I was able to stand with Wayland as his best man in his wedding and felt honored to do so. Then it seems we were both busy raising our families and finding our way in this world. But quite often we would get together and every time it was just like old times. Our wives just had to tolerate us as we would just say a couple of words and would laugh and laugh. They had no idea what we were laughing about. Like the time we went in a restaurant and had a meal. We had paper towels with us and when we left we had totally polished out plates and left them on the table just as if the table was set for new customers. I am sure the waiter said "now those guys sure cleaned their plates." We once went into the little Canyonville Five and Dime and went back to the fish aquarium. We kept watching all the fish and when the girl came to help us we pointed out which ones we wanted. (a couple of gold fish as we certainly could not afford the more exotic ones) She had a terrible time trying to net the specific ones we pointed out. When she finally was able to catch them she started to put them in a bag of water and we told her that that was not necessary that we would simply have them here. We both held one up and dropped in our mouths and swallowed them. The girls freaked out... It just seems that Wayland was always coming up with funny things to try.

When we visited Wayland in the hospital it was very evident that everyone there loved him. He found ways of brightening their days everyday. That was what life was all about for Wayland. It was just his way of living. Thanks Wayland for being such a big part of my life. You certainly brightened mine and have been an inspiration that I shall never NEVER forget.

And the cat story is another story... I am blessed with so many memories... Wayland... I miss you buddy.