The Measure of a Friend
By SGW Ed Rodebush

This morning I got the call I had dreaded, but knew would come very soon. My dear friend Randall Reigh had passed away and was now gone. You think that knowing the end was soon that I would be better prepared. The day quickly disintegrated, until by sunset I was physically and mentally shot. I had lost a friend but as you all know other friends called to check on me and see if I needed help. You know friends are a joy during the good times but are crucial during the tough times.

Looking back I can't really remember how Randall and I first became friends. It was scary how he and would 'think alike and enjoyed the same things in life. Probably one of the keys to our friendship was the fact we didn't see each other often, being separated by a two hour drive. I don't want you to think anything negative about that last sentence, but realize our times together were made so special by the fact they didn't happen often.

Allot of pleasures or possessions are measured either by quantity or quality The measure of my friendship with Randall was measured by the quality of our too short of times together.
Most everyone knew not to call him Randy or you might be in a fight. But few but his friends could call him Ennis and get away with it. Still yet fewer people knew that Randall was a double at times for Steven Seagal. I knew this and at times while driving in Branson he would flare up at the blue hairs and their driving. Our wives were glad we were in a van when he and I would verbally chastise idiot drivers at Branson. I still wonder if the clerk at Rockport shoes figured out why I bought two pairs of shoes one a size 10 the other an 21. Randall was the best at finding bargains so a two pair for the price o€ one meant we each got a pair for 1 J2 price. At the Bass Pro Shop I would always check with Randall for any bargains I missed.

Food is a very important part of our friendship. Chocolate of any form was a priority as was Bar-B-Q. It was actually against the law to go by a Dairy Queen without a blizzard. On our trips he would bring exotics like jerky from various roadkill, smoked salmon or Evonne's caramel brownies.

Gary Smelser and I talked about how Randall was always on the go and would coax us out of our recliners to go on a trip. He always had the whole trip planned and would not take no for an answer. We were always glad we went and now I regret the few times I couldn't go when Randall called. He and I went together to five-states, trout and crappie fishing. Bass Pro strops, Wyoming antelope, Game Warden associations and of course the trips to Branson.
Our trout trips were always fun, we would watch each other close for we both knew we had powerbait hid in our vest. If the plugs weren't working, the old orange powerbait would someway find its way into the water. The last gift Randall gave me was a pack of six jars of salmon eggs. I always wondered if he thought I might use them instead of the powerbait to give him an advantage.

Randall would always threaten to revoke my guide license when he would come to Eufaula and the fishing was slow. This spring we enjoyed the best spring crappie fishing in 23 years. The memories of these last trips are so special to me now. During one of these trips his back was hurting so bad he actually sat down while we were catching fish. On the way home from this trip his doctor called him and told him the cancer was on his spine. None of use said anything that day, but later we all had that sick feeling that day when he had to sit while fishing something was very wrong.

You know how friends will always tease and try to get one on their friends and Randall was no exception. One of my first Randall experiences happened in the fall of '81. I was a rookie and was given the task of transporting hunters to their areas during a special hunt. Randall was in the back of the buck and I made every effort to drive under every low hanging branch. I really thought I was clever until Randall told me that I had knocked off both my radio antennas on these limbs. I suddenly felt sick and was trying to figure out how to explain these ripped out items. I didn't know then that you could unscrew then from their post. So after a few minutes of panic he told me that he had in fact unscrewed them and there was no problem. I learned that to screw with Mr. Reigh was not in your best interest, for in doing so you only made it more fun for him to return the favor.

I mentioned early on about our trips to Branson. Randall and Evonne were the most compatible couple that Gayle and I ever knew. Almost every December we spent a couple of days and nights doing the Branson thing. We even had the trip for December of '04 planned. I say we had it planned, Randall told me in September that he had made all the calls, little did we know that he would be gone by October.

I talked to Randall the last part of September and for the first time could hear in his voice that the end was soon. Of course when I asked him how he was feeling, his reply was I going to Wyoming tomorrow to shoot an antelope. You know he did and from what I hear he shot the biggest one of the group. Less than three weeks later he was gone. Randall lived to the fullest right up to the end.

It is hard to think and type with tears flowing but I could not keep my composure long enough to tell you in person what My friendship with Randall meant to me. If in some small way I showed you what a friendship can be and how you should appreciate friends, I have succeeded. For 23 years we shared the good and bad times and for this I am so grateful.
I am still blessed with so many dear friends and I know that I will find more friends in this life. No, Randall will not ever be replaced, but to keep going and doing the things we cherished, he is in fact still with me.

Every day is so short, for we only have a lifetime to live.