I last spoke with Buddy on Tuesday night. He was driving up to Tallahassee and we spoke like we did nearly daily just about work, life, anything…sometimes nothing. He rarely ended a telephone conversation with “goodbye,” but instead was more comfortable leaving the conversation open-ended saying… “I’ll call you back later.” I last saw Buddy on June 8th in Washington, DC. We were attending a training class. He and I acted like our usual juvenile selves and passed goofy notes back and forth to each other. I didn’t realize until just last week when already home, that he had gotten a hold of my notebook and written a poem about me. It was just a silly poem that poked fun of me and just did what Buddy does so well—it made me smile and laugh. I thought I’d return the gesture: Ode to William S. There once was a man named William (…or Bill…or Billy… or Buddy), You should see the books that enlighten his mind; He’s got Tolstoy and Nietzsche and The Great Gatsby and “A Good Man is Hard to Find!” Buddy was an excellent athlete and wrestler, Earning a championship was his wish, He was also a healthnut eating hardboiled eggs, and broccoli, and broiled fish. Martha Stewart would definitely be jealous, If she ever saw his homemaking flair, He could decorate, and arrange, and pick the right scheme, and still keep on top of his hair! He was like an onion with many layers, That he only let certain people peel, But once he decided that you were his friend, he was loyal, and generous, and real. As an investigator Buddy was tops, His skillset would be hard to beat, He was a polygraph examiner, a firearms instructor and thought quickly on his feet. Buddy found his soulmate in Maria one day, And asked her to become his wife, He could NOT wipe the smile that was on his face, the day they committed for life. He talked of a child they would have real soon, And knew Maria would be a great mother, He wanted a girl, and they’d name her Maria, and she would be like no other. In closing, here’s a Bible passage fitting for the way Buddy left us: (John, 15:13) “No one has a greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” …Buddy, “I'll call you back later.”