The Friendly Giant died on Monday

Who he was in reality isn't important to me. I don't mean that in a dismissive or demeaning way. To a generation of Canadian kids "The friendly Giant" was a morning ritual. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation had a children's program that it aired every weekday morning hosted at the Friendly Giant's castle, with him, and his two sidekicks Rusty the Rooster, and Jerome the Giraffe.

The show started the same way every day. The Friendly Giant,opened the drawbridge of his castle and reached down with a gigantic hand to arrange, "One little chair for one of you, and a bigger chair for two more to curl up in, and for someone who likes to rock, a rocking chair in the middle." Then, he invited viewers to, "Look up... look waayyy up."

The Friendly Giant read books to us, played his flute, told stories and kibbitzed with Jerome and Rusty for half an hour every morning and provided his multitude of fans with a quiet, informative, and caring male role model. A thing that was sorely lacking in many houses, and still is, I'm sorry to say.

He never used the exaggerated facial expressions or condescending tones that seem common to children's performers, he spoke to kids on a person-to-person level.

The friendly Giant never made public appearances because he didn't want to ruin kid's belief in his giantness, and no "Friendly Giant" products were ever marketed. He wouldn't allow it.

Shortly before my kids were born, he retired from TV. I regret that they never saw him. I'll miss him a lot.

Friendly, Jerome and Rusty

The last two days have been spent teaching a First Aid update class. Nothing unusual in the subject matter, but an unusual audience.

One of the things I really admire about the FD is that we all have to qualify and maintain qualification in basic skills. First aid, Fire Suppression, Driving, Pumping etc. When I say we all have to, that means we all have to. This includes the Fire Chief.

Our Chief administers a huge Fire Department, but still makes time to maintain his basic skills. He does what I consider to be the most important thing a leader can do, and that's set a good example.

So there I was on Wednesday morning, with the Fire Chief, his two Assistant Chiefs, and a number of Battallion Chiefs all sitting in my class getting instruction. I love it, there I was, lowest ranking member in the room, in charge, teaching.

It's pretty funny in a situation like that. The instructor holds power and control, he gives the orders and sets the boundaries. Not an easy thing to do when he's teaching the guy who holds his career in his hands. However, the really admirable thing is knowing that there was no threat, real or implied. The Chief would accept a pass or fail, and god help me if i cut him any slack.

I felt a lot of anxiety before the class, not because i feared recrimination or anything like that, but because i wanted to account well for myself. I admire these men very much and wanted to give them the best I had. I guess I did okay, they all passed well.

I know I carried it off, but jeeezus, am I glad its over.