60 years
Tom and I met when we were about 13 years old. We were immediate best friends. I was fortunate enough to have two other best friends. The four of us remained close for the rest of our lives.
Tom was like a big brother to me, he always looked out for me. I remember Tom as being a prince of a boy and later as a man. He was honest and had good direction from an early age. These qualities would serve him well in later life. Tom had a paper route when he was in high school, he delivered papers about 50 miles daily on this route. His delivery vehicle was a Vespa motor scooter, he used this scooter because unlike a motorcycle , it was open between the seat and handlebars, this Tom contended was necessary to avoid farm tractors emerging from the orange groves “you could bail out easier.” Tom made about $500.00 a month while the hourly wage was about $1.25 per hour at any other job a high schooler could find. We would use this scooter to go to the beach. I can remember straddling the scooter at fifty miles an hour numerous times, as the rear wheel had a tendency to detach itself.
Through the years we would have many adventures. The four of us would go to Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Cabo San Lucas, Las Vegas and a friend’s ranch in Desconso as well as Palm Springs. We skied , golfed and just enjoyed each other’s company. One of my favorite stories is the time we caravanned up the coast in our Jaguars. We both had 1965 E Type Jaguars ragtops . Tom met me in San Luis Obispo and we drove like race car drivers along highway 1, we drove as far as San Francisco and then headed south. We eventually arrived in Bishop during Mule Days. The town was full of cowboys. Tom’s car was not running well so he had the hood up looking at the cause of the problem. About that time a flat bed truck slowly cruised by. “Having trouble with the fancy car”? The ten cowboys asked, & without missing a second, Tom yelled out from under the hood “#######”. The truck stopped and started backing up, Tom slammed the hood down and we were off setting more land speed records. I believe to this day that it was Willy Sink‘s influence that caused this brush with a certain bruising.
I can think of many more fond remembrances , but simply stated, I will miss my friend Tommy Donter. Rip Tom!!