Chris is Away

Friday morning means that Chris is, I believe, in Bangkok, Thailand. Or he might already be boarding his connecting flight to Bali. Either way, he ain't here. His desk is across from mine and a bit to the right, with Sean's across from Chris’s desk, like the 3 points on a triangle. Looking over and seeing no laptop, no papers, no nothing but empty desk and, above all, no Chris Heidrich, is a little strange.

Sean took Chris to the airport yesterday morning; soon enough, Nick and Chris will be tipping back a Bintang – they haven’t seen each other since Nick left in September, so BootsnAll’s Commonwealth Contingent will finally be hanging out again (as the 2 Yanks see if they can stuff everything up back here Stateside). And then, soon enough, Chris will be back in Australia for the next year.

I’m gonna miss Chris. He’s funny, insightful, a fair and honest man. Everyone always goes on and on about Chris’s quietness. It’s one of the qualities I appreciate most about him. Most people spend way too much time talking, and could probably benefit from being quiet, and listening, a bit more. Chris speaks when he feels he should, and he listens. His quiet level-headedness has always provided the perfect balance for Sean’s passion and expressiveness; that combo has been one of the things to help us keep growing and improving.

Sean and his pops did some photo snapping just as the lads were packing up the BootBus on Thursday, and Sean will probably have his own thoughts (and pics) to share on Chris taking off. The two of them have been hashing out BootsnAll together since 1999 – that’s 4 years, of working together day in and day out to realize a dream. Sean might comment now that we still have a long way to go, and that when you reach a goal you also see the next one ahead of you. And that’s true – but we also know how important it is to remember how far you’ve come, and these two have come so far.

Now and for the next year, they’re going to be on different continents. Thanks to email and the web it will be, in many ways, as if they were still across the room from one another. Still, the distance is a new challenge and a different circumstance. This change is ultimately a great thing; it shows the opportunities we have before us but still – it is a change, and will bring about its own challenges.

There’s been times of separation of course, such as when Chris went to Australia for a few months back in late 2000. Or when Sean’s been away on business trips, such as the 2 months he spent in Bali with Nick.

For the most part though, Sean and Chris have shared home and office pretty much since BootsnAll’s inception. They slogged newspapers together, plotted the course of the company together, and kept it all going. They welcomed me and Nick, trained and worked with us to help bring out our best and to best fit us in to where we could most benefit BootsnAll. They’ve supported us, been there through the rougher parts. As friends and businessmen, they’ve always been fair and trustworthy – men whose word you can put in the bank and take to heart. You don’t find that every day. Chris and Sean, together and as individuals, have been the heart and soul of BootsnAll since day 1. Now, as we spread out around the world, I think that heart and soul’s going to get even stronger.

Chris, my hat’s off to you. Bali, Australia, wherever and whatever, this next year will bring many things for us, and so much so because of all that you have done over these years. I want you to know how much I respect you, and how glad I am to count you as a friend and colleague. I’m going to tip back some High Street micro in your honor tonight mate, and all the best to you, till we see each other again in Bali, and well after that.

Good travels, mate.