Ernie the Greek, Getting Old, Betting on Horse Racing and Being Too Busy

I developed a shocking illness and injury and left law enforcement at an earlier age than I had expected. I found myself at a crossroads in my life. I didn’t know what to do with the rest of my life. I was lost in the vast ocean of life. Kind of like a zombie in slow motion not knowing which way to go.

One day I went out to grab my mail, which is about 1,000 feet from my front door and saw my new neighbor across the street crossing the street walking toward me. He looked to be a big strong guy, about 6 ‘1” and at least about 230 lbs. He seemed to have a scowl on his face and I wondered who could have pee’d in his morning cereal—he seemed angry. He came up close, stuck his hand out and said, Hi, I’m your new neighbor, Ernie Banzy and I wanted to say hi.” That was the beginning of a good and long friendship with my 84-year-old neighbor. It turns out he had a major stroke years earlier and had an eye disease both of which made him seem a little cumbersome and angry looking, but he was not.

We became friends and would sit and talk on his front porch or near my pond talking about the simple things of life. He had been in the Second World War, worked at all sorts of jobs, many using his hands, and ended up being a big shot in the IT field with a huge corporation. He was big, strong and had a way with women, not a smoothie, but a genuine charm that women found irresistible. He had more class than I can probably ever hope to have. He was a widower and still loved his deceased wife with a deep passion. He had a very nice partner in life now; they were not married but shared a great life together.

Ernie knew I was in a bad part in my life but he was in one too. He had to retire due to his age, had a major stroke, which he had almost totally rehabbed from, but still, it was a major event in his life. He also had macular degeneration that was quickly making his eyes worse daily. Soon after we met, he had to give up driving and that really hurt him. Nevertheless, he never would complain more than a few minutes. He’d talk about his problems for a short while and then talk about how he would work around them. And work around them he did. He was so positive and hopeful that I was fortunate to be around him.

He told me how he used to bet on the “ponies”—horse racing. I was not a big gambler and never had the desire to bet on horses. Actually, I thought it was somewhat cruel to race horses on a professional level. However, eventually we decide to go to the local horseracing track that was about 25 minutes from our neighborhood. Ernie showed me how all the racing stuff worked, things like how to figure out which horses to bet on which is called “handicapping”. It was slow learning for me and I did not win very often. Ernie was winning more than me and I started calling him Ernie the Greek after the famous gambler and sports commentator, Jimmy the Greek. I give many friends humorous names, which tend to stick with them forever. So, Ernie was forever more to me, Jimmy the Greek.

I was never completely enthused about horse racing—until I won big, really big one day. On a one-dollar bet, I won $1,600! They peeled off 16 one-hundred dollar bills and Ernie said I had a strut to my walk that made him laugh his head off.

We went to the track once week for several years. We had a great lunch there every time we went and gambled about twenty or thirty dollars. Not big shot gamblers by any stretch. I had a ball though. I loved the meals, our camaraderie with workers and other handicappers and my time with the fun loving, calm, rational and extremely intelligent man. Winning occasionally was nice too. As time went by Ernie’s vision got worse and he could not drive anymore. I drove to the track all the time, which I did not mind at all. His handicapping skills diminished because he could barely see the racing forms. We kept going every week and I still enjoyed the whole experience. We’d see some of his old friends at the track all of whom seemed to love the big gentle guy.

As more time went by, I started getting busy with things I had going on in my life. I canceled some of our race days and sometimes would drive to where I had to go even when I saw him sitting on his porch all alone just listening to traffic going by. We kept in touch but not nearly as much as in the past—because I was too busy with my life. I used to have people tell me sometimes that Ernie was lucky to have me because I drove him to the track and hung out with him. I never understood when people would say that to me—never. I assume it was because I was a young guy who helped an old guy by the things I did for him. There was nothing further from the truth. I felt lucky that he hung out with me, that he talked to me, and that he liked me. I never felt that I was doing for him (well maybe when I would actually place his bets on portable gambling machines because he could not see them anymore) but that’s it. He was always doing for me, without him knowing it. He gave me peace, laughter, hope, and perspective.

Ernie was diagnosed with lung cancer last year and because he was so strong, they felt confident in removing one lung from the 88-year big guy. He made it through the operation but in a few months some complications set in and Erie died. I was in route to the hospital and missed his passing by a few minutes. I asked his close loved ones if I could say a few words to him before they wheeled him away. They were gracious and said yes.

I grabbed his hand and told him that I knew I’d see him one day. I told him he was class. I told him that he showed me more about being a man than anyone ever had. I told him that I loved him. His partner and her sister broke down over my words. The words came easy—they came from my soul and were true.

I feel terrible that I was too busy to hang out with Ernie the Greek toward the end of our relationship. There is no excuse for my chasing other things to the detriment of our human connection. None. I’m guessing when I see him or his spirit one day he’ll forgive me. I hope I forgive me too.