Activity II and a life saved

      So,  I had to move back to SLC after I was accepted into the U of U Physical Therapy program in 1978.  By this time, I was old for a junior; I think I was 24 turning 25.  Moving into my folks' house was NOT an option.  Humm, what to do?  I really didn't know anyone in SLC.  Remember, I left for three years during the draft in 1970, spending most of the time in Germany. When I got back I moved to Logan, Utah to continue school.  I had not lived in SLC for 6 years or so.  I also didn't want to find old friends, as most were not the people to associate with if you want to move up the ladder. (Although, thinking about it, I'm sure the same old friends thought that about me.) You know what I mean, eh?   I remember it being a very lonely period for me.  No one to hang with, no one to ski with,  no one, no one.  During this lonely time that was sprinkled with depressional moments, I began faltering.
    " Hi, I'm Malcolm Draper.  I know you." "Hi, Malcolm."  Malcolm and I went to Skyline High School together.  Now, there were 900 in my graduating class, so it was a big place.  I don't know how we knew each other, but we did.  We didn't run in the same circles.  Hell, we didn't even run in the same stratosphere.   I can't remember how we met after high school but, I want to think it was at a Ward house, but I can't remember why I was there.  Or maybe we met before that and he eventually invited  me to a Sunday service.  I just can't remember.  Very quickly, I think within days, Malcolm said I could move into a basement room in a house he owned in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake.  Malcolm lived in the basement with Mike Anderson. There was a wonderful, young school teacher living in the upstairs area.  Yea, I'd love to move in, I needed a place to live, but even more, I needed support and love.  Malcolm and Mike gave me that.  Its one thing I may never be able to repay. 
     Did Malcolm help save my life?  YES.  Not from death,  I wasn't suicidal, but I was very lonely and moderately depressed.  A simple act of kindness is all it took.  But I am sure it wasn't easy for Malcolm.  Mike and Malcolm took a risk.  They we Priesthood members of the LDS church and I think they even  held some other office in the Church as well.  Take a chance on a lonely, divorced, drinking ex-hippy?  Don't know if I would.  Shows how much these two guys had to teach me in the coming years.  And teach they did.  Not in a missionary kind of way but in a how to live your life  kind of way. They never pushed the LDS religion on me.  I remember going to a few Sunday meetings but never went through the missionary lessons, at least not with them.  They were just good, good friends.   They were the best roommates I ever had (except for Jane, of course).  They were kind.  When I lived my life in a non-sort-of LDS way, they never made me feel uncomfortable,  never made me feel odd, or like I was doing something wrong.  They treated me like a brother, and still do to this day.  If only one good thing comes from this cancer or this blog, it would be to say thank you to these two wonderful human beings.  Thank you So much, Malcolm Draper and Mike Anderson.             Namaste