"Bob Rugen"

I'm sitting at the breakfast bar of my college buddy Bob Rugen's house, in Sacramento.  He and his wife Ann, and kids… Lane (girl) age 19, and Robert Jr. age 21, are some of the nicest people I know.  A lot of times religious people make me nervous, as I most likely make them, but with Bob it's different.  I describe him as a Bible Tapper, instead of a Bible Thumper.

He has very strong beliefs but not only is he willing to listen to other viewpoints and opinions, he actually agrees with me sometimes about my ideas and viewpoints.  Not that he changes his beliefs, it's that he is one of the rare birds… same flock as me… who can understand that what is right for one person, doesn't necessarily have to be the right thing for everyone else.  He is totally refreshing and I do get spiritual enrichment from him.  He is what I call a true Christian… not a flag carrying one.

 

He's playing in a 50's and over tennis league again this year and if his team wins their matches this weekend, they'll go the National's again for the second year in a row.  One of the teams they'll need to beat is from Seascape, not more than five miles from where I live.  Bob's team made it to the Championship match last year and lost.  Pretty cool huh?  Not that they lost, that they made it to the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH!!

He plays the game much as my father did:  Hit it where they ain't, and mess with their heads.

If they make it to the Finals this year, they'll be playing in Indian Wells, in southern California.  I may already have my next road trip planned for me.