Damn... just damn.

[Timestepper]

Got word just a few minutes ago that a dear, dear friend - my wife's ex-husband & my "husband-in-law" - Dr. John Padgett Baird, one of the finest fisherman I've ever known, shuffled off this mortal coil at 11:00 a.m. this morning following a massive heart attack.

I posted this here because although John was (among other things) an accomplished writer, he was first and foremost a fine fisherman. He and I spent not nearly enough time together on the water and equally insufficient time discussing our mutual passion for the written word. My wife was his editor and one of my own main characters in an ongoing writing project is based entirely upon him.

I have lost a friend, but I feel as if I've lost a part of myself. John and my wife were together nearly 30 years before they divorced and they remained close afterwards. Though there are, of course, tears, I can only begin to imagine the depth of grief that she is experiencing right now.

He was a good man and a good friend and he will be missed.

RIP Brother John

[DaveS]

Sorry to hear that Timestepper...our prayers go out to you my friend...

[Guest RCLARK]

This short narrative speaks volumes as to the character of both you guys. God be with you and your wife during this time. You will be in my prayers.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

It sure does. Brother John had two great friends. God bless you.

[Oh Shoot]

I know that particular emptiness all too well. Offering my sincere condolences.

- OS

[ShaunM]

Keeping everyone in my prayers.

[Timestepper]

Thank you all.

Since we first got the news last evening of John's passing, the following passages from the Norman Maclean novella "A River Runs through It" (a mutual favorite of myself, my wife and John) have been going through my mind:

~~~~

"I've said I told you all I know. If you push me far enough, all I really know is that he was a fine fisherman."

"You know more than that," my father said. "He was beautiful."

"Yes," I said, "He was beautiful. He should have been--you taught him."

~~~~

"Now nearly all those I loved and did not understand when I was young are dead, but I still reach out to them.

Of course now I am too old to be much of a fisherman, and now of course I usually fish the big waters alone, although some friends think I shouldn't. Like many fly fisherman in western Montana where the summer days are almost Arctic in length, I often do not start fishing until the cool of the evening. Then in the Arctic half-light of the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a four count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise.

Eventually all things merge into one and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.

I am haunted by waters." ~ Norman Maclean

~~~~~

John Padget Baird 1/10/49 - 3/17/12

Rest easy, friend John. In just a little while we'll meet again on the river, and the words and water will both be clear and beautiful and the fish will be plentiful and magnificent.

/'~~~~~~<(@)><

[DaveS]

He looks like he's living his dream!

[LI0NSFAN]

My families prayers are with you.

[peejman]

Sorry to hear, condolences to everyone involved.

[ls-vtec]

sorry for your loss . you will be together again !

[personDJ]

I don't know you but your post touched me. I have been there and at this time am hoping your dear frinds memory will give you and yours big giant strength. God bless.

Edited March 24, 2012 by personDJ

[Timestepper]

Thanks again, everyone.

It has been posited that, thought not all philosophers are fishermen, all fishermen are philosophers. John was not only proof of the posit, but among the best of both.

We'll have a memorial service for him in a couple of weeks (he disdained funerals as entirely too depressing) and remember John the writer, John the tournament fisherman and tackle designer and John the occasional obtuse jackass (when he and my wife were married, he once returned from a fishing trip to Alaska with a pair of souvenir ear rings for her - Problem was, they'd been married for several year and he'd never noticed that she doesn't have pierced ears! ), but mostly we'll remember John the friend.

In a few hours it will have been exactly one week since his passing and the tears have dried for now and I've been making plans with another friend to fish Cosby Creek and float the Nolichucky River in John's honor... And I'm pretty sure he'll be there too...

[Timestepper]

Brother John,

Seems somehow odd that I find you with me more now that you are "gone" than I did when you were "not gone." Or maybe that's just the way it's supposed to be and only feels odd from my narrow perspective.

At any rate, it won't be long before I will be back on our favorite river with others we both treasure. And, in true fisherman and dreamer fashion, we will float and talk and feel and listen. And some of what we'll be talking and listening and feeling for will be the very essence of you.

I'll see you on the river...

[DaveS]

+1 !!!!

[Steelharp]

God bless you, brother... prayers up...

[Timestepper]

Brother John,

Seems somehow odd that I find you with me more now that you are "gone" than I did when you were "not gone." Or maybe that's just the way it's supposed to be and only feels odd from my narrow perspective.

At any rate, it won't be long before I will be back on our favorite river with others we both treasure. And, in true fisherman and dreamer fashion, we will float and talk and feel and listen. And some of what we'll be talking and listening and feeling for will be the very essence of you.

I'll see you on the river...

Well, John... In a little less than 12 hours, I'll be on the banks of the Nolichuckey with your best friend and fishing partner of forty years. We'll camp tonight and spend our evening telling stories and if Bob and I can keep our eyes dry long enough, we might even wet a line while we're planning tomorrow's float. I'm taking the anchor this time so that we can give the hole where you caught the big one the attention it deserves - should've done that when you and I floated, but hindsight is indeed 20-20 - Bob has never even seen the place, but we both already refer to it as "John's Hole." Tomorrow it'll be officially christened with a beer or two, and probably a tear or two as well... 'course it wouldn't hurt anything if we could catch a couple of nice bronzebacks in between the tears and beers.

Bob knows how I feel about floating warm water with a bulky life jacket, so he's volunteered to let me use your old Mae West and I'll wear it proudly, if somewhat sadly. And we've both agreed that, while this is a memorial trip in your honor, we're not going to be saying "goodbye," but rather "Howdy old friend, we've missed you!"

Well John, they're hollering at me on the radio to bring my load in, so I guess I'll fold this thing up and get back to being a truck driver for a few more hours. Can't wait until tonight when I will again... see you on the river.

[DaveS]

AWESOME!!!!

[chances R]

Great memories.....sorry for your loss, but happy for your experiences.......it's all part of growing up, and I don't like it.