“The best thing you can do for the poor is not be one of them” – Red on Red by Edward Conlon

This is Fernando. He is one of the most bona fide, decent human beings one could be fortunate to meet.

I met him when he came to this yard to work on drilling rigs being prepared for service after sitting idle for 2 years.

I mentioned the beautiful Abba song “Fernando” and, to my surprise, he had never heard it. So I googled it on my phone and played it for him. Man, did his eyes light up.

And thus began a friendship. I looked forward to our brief visits every morning when he arrived to work on the drilling rigs. With each day I learned more about this friendly man with a smile as big as Texas.

He was born in Chihuahua Mexico and at age 17 his family moved to Presidio, Tx. From there they eventually moved to Odessa, TX where he met his future wife. He learned to weld and is now an independent operator.

He lives in Odessa and has 2 young children. Fernando did it the right way and is now living the American Dream.

Makes you feel good to run in to people like that.

“The most absolute way of categorizing people is by what they are capable of, and what they are not capable of.” – “The Quick Red Fox” – by John D. MacDonald