Little Bob

I was a teenager working in the wrecking yard when I first heard somebody refer to “Little Bob.” He was a new employee, and though not really small he was shorter than another Bob who already worked for us. This was 40 years ago.

Little Bob worked all kinds of jobs in the wrecking yard. He pulled parts, of course, but he also handled the huge forklift, ran deliveries, and drove the tow truck. This was a time of transition in the wrecking yard, so Bob bounced from working for my Dad to my brother to finally my uncle. Working for my uncle wasn’t a great situation for him so Bob quit.

A day later my Dad asked Bob if he wanted a short term job.  Dad needed an extra hand working on his old metal buildings, and he heard Little Bob could swing a hammer. One short conversation later, and Dad hired Little Bob for two weeks pulling nails out of used 2×4 studs so they could be reused.

The two week job turned into 40 years.

Little Bob soon became just plain old Bob. He was a fixture at Goble Properties, always working at a steady pace, usually with a smile on his face, eager to laugh. Oh sure, there were times when laughter and smiles were difficult. But for the most part Bob had a can-do attitude and made us all chuckle.

Eventually Bob moved to the Goble Family Ranch in Sunol to be caretaker. His relationship with the family deepened. He became part of our lives and loved to lean on a fence post to shoot the breeze with anybody who would take the time.

When it came to maintenance, Bob did it all. He could build a wall, repair a car, brand the cattle, replace a faulty plug, patch a roof, pour concrete, fix a toilet, replace a filter, drive any kind of truck or tractor, and tear down a shed (perhaps his favorite activity). He was Mr. Reliable and was willing to work any hour if there was an urgent need.

A few months ago Bob announced his retirement. Next week he and Queen will be moving just outside of Reno to start a new chapter in their lives. To honor him we had a small retirement party and gave him the one thing he’s been longing for: a new laptop computer.

Bob is going to be missed. Certainly we will miss his engaging laugh and big smile, but also his storehouse of knowledge. As more than one person has said about our older properties, Bob knows where all the skeletons are buried. He promises his phone will still be on and he’ll take calls from us, but I know there will still be a void when he’s fully retired.

With his extra time Bob hopes to cast a lot of fear into the fish living near his new home, and I suspect his bowling game is going to get a lot better too.

So long, my friend, and have a great retirement.