Jan 3, 2012

A man of Falstaffian proportions, Arnold Kirkpatrick could be easily recognized by his mirth and his girth. And now, too soon, he is one with the earth.

Our first encounter , come to think about it, involved substantial portions of high class food and drink. Arnold was accompanied by master consignor Lee Eaton to Vancouver for the purpose of a seminar to enlighten a room full of Canadian breeders.

We basked in the summer sun whilst talking horses. I was assigned the task, if you could call it that, of giving Arnold a tour of that beautiful metropolis. Lee was a teetotaler, as was our Canadian host Mel McInnis, and they retired early.

Arnold and I touched all the bases. His favorite eatery was the English Bay
Cafe next to world famous Stanley Park . Their menu motto said "Waiter, there's a sunset in my soup" which Arnold thought was very clever.

Decades intervened before we next broke bread, this time in Lexington on Mardi Gras. The revelry was slow getting started until Arnold rounded up one and all at posh a la lucie.

A conga line was formed with Arnold on the lead. We went out the door circled the block and the merriment was rampant.

Did I mention that it was snowing at the time?