GEORGE IS TEN-98
 BY KIMBALL BROWN
 
Well George, you're finally retiring. When you first arrived at 
Firestone it was as the replacement for our much loved Bill the mechanic. 
Bill spent his working life on his back, scooting around under our 
poor abused radio cars trying to put band-aids on them for the next 
shift. When we first saw you most of us didn't know whether to greet 
you or put you on the wall; long hair, thin as a doper and an 
unconventional outlook for someone working with a bunch of Neanderthal 
cops. But gradually, you won us over. Maybe it was because of your work ethic. 
Working on our cars by 7am, you were more of a long range, big picture 
kind of mechanic. When you figured a car was in trouble, you sent 
it to the County garage for an overhaul. I was utility deputy then 
and it seemed I spent half my time ferrying cars back and forth 
from there. I didn't like it initially, but gradually the reliability 
of our black and whites improved. We all noticed. You can't help but notice 
when you're Code 3 and your Plymouth doesn't flood out going around corners.
Also you won us over with your great attitude. Yeah, we kidded you a lot at 
first, but you gave as good as you got and won our respect. I was no longer 
at FPK when you started rolling on requests for assistance calls as "Deputy 
Ramos", but that is such a Firestone response that I guess you were influenced 
by us, too. George, you're going to pass into FPK legend and you deserve a great 
send-off. I can't be there but I hope you're going to be around for a lot of 
reunions. Good luck and God bless.