Manitos

My last meeting with “Tone” – as we knew him – was about 6 weeks  ago. I delivered him a box of apples which I had just picked from my  orchard. The apple visit had become an annual ritual: I would drop by  his house, deliver the apples, and we would sit on his porch or around  the kitchen table and visit. Tone wore his feelings “on his sleeve” as the  saying goes. He was warm and friendly, but more to his nature he was  genuine, unpretentious and sincere. I always felt welcomed in his  home; that he was glad to see me.