Jesse’s Ride
M
By Ed Hale
y name is Ed Hale, founder of Ed’s for several days. French Fry was crushed stops, a large tent, some live bands, and lots of
Posse, a group dedicated to the when he passed. Hell, we all were. auction and giveaway stuff.
preservation of new life. Because of I didn’t see French Fry until the wake. She The turnout for Jesse’s ride was great. By
our work, I have been named the National was surrounded by people and I patiently the first stop, someone made the observation
Top Fundraiser for the March of Dimes, not just waited my turn. I felt special when she no- that a hawk had followed them the whole
the biker events, but of all events the March ticed me and came straight over. As we way. Amazingly it was the same on every stop.
of Dimes holds. French Fry is a member of our hugged I told her she had a very special angel Some of the folks believed it was the same
posse and good friend to all of us. This year now. Her own very special guardian angel. I bird every time. Some even made the com-
our efforts will be in memory of her son Jesse. told her I would go against everything I believe ment maybe it was Jesse soaring in the sky.
His story was instrumental in putting great in if I cried for Jesse. My tears were for her be- We were all set up at the tent that over-
faith in all of us. cause she wouldn’t see him for a while and looked a few acres of open field, awaiting the
My friend French Fry, a single mother of that I believe he is with us always now. We riders when a couple showed up on their
three young boys and dear friend of mine, reminisced how Jesse always used to say he bikes and explained they had missed the last
was at home while her boys played hide and was going to soar with the eagles in the sky. I stop of the ride so they came straight to the fi-
go seek. Her youngest, Jesse, was one of knew she was hurt beyond my imagination, nale. We welcomed them and all hung out. It
those really cool and bright kids—always but I think it helped a little. Some of her other was pretty hot and we tipped back a beer or
thinking. That summer day it was in the upper family got little guardian angel statues to put two talking about Jesse and some of the ways
90’s and Jesse found what he thought was a around the house to kind of remind her that he touched our lives. The couple didn’t know
great hiding place. When they couldn’t find Jesse was always with her. Jesse but said they were very glad to hear
him, family and neighbors searched every- We all knew that our friend was in despair every word of our reminiscing of him.
where. The police were called and finally and there wasn’t a whole lot we could do on The man handed the raffle tickets he had
someone checked the trunk of the car. Need- an emotional level. We decided that she received to our boy Sidecar. He said they
less to say, there they found Jesse barely should not have to worry about finances on couldn’t stay but he wanted to give his draw-
clinging to life as he had been in the hot trunk top of everything else she was dealing with. ing tickets to someone with the hope that if
for some time. Jesse hung on to that bit of life So we organized a poker run with several they won, the item would be raffled on the
Wide Open 33
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