To the Schwermans

I am profoundly grateful for your unparalled hospitality and openness last month. It was simply a magnificent experience to work at Greg's shop, fire the numerous rifles and light and sub machine guns, and to share countless great moments of laughter and joy with not only your family, but also with Greg and Ron.

Work certainly was painstaking at the shop, but I am confident the time I spent working has taught me countless lessons. One of which in particular is to never give up to always be adherent. I can remember working on some of the slimiest, most rusty, and stubborn delinkers, and trying to find tools throughout the shop in order to complete the task of dissasembling them. This lesson has proved so valuable that it is even applicable to my day-day life at school. I now know, through everyone's help, that any given problem in life doesn't need hard work and fierce determination alone, but also, its own tool.

Carl -- I admire your straightforward nature of thinking, and your optimism although being recently laid off by (Southwest?). You are the sort of man that keeps this country in order. Thank you.

Erik -- I had a great deal of fun playing video games and talking to you overall. I can recall what it was to be your earnest and ambitious age. When you get to high school, please promise me to know when to turn off the Xbox 360, although you may be "almost on the last level". Always remember to keep your priorities in check. And believe me, your listening to a hard-core gamer that has had his Xbox thrown because of poor grades. Maybe do like I do when you get to that point: play games only during the weekend. This keeps you focused during the week for both school and sport, plus, you won't melt you eyes out!

Greg -- You were a very charismatic person to deal with. You were always interested to talk about not only yourself, but also ask questions about me. You answered any and all questions I may have had, and bought me lunch each day. I can't thank you enough for your superb generosity and tremendous kindness to let someone like me, without any mechanic experience whatsoever, attempt to combat your enormous pile of work [without ruining it]. I may not have contributed a significant dent in it your pile of work, but you made me feel accomplished, and like a member of the team, rather than a mere sidekick.

Written 27.09.09