Callin Colin

Starting my first day of work at Patriot/ Paramount Transportation Systems is surreal. Monday, a new town, a new job and just yesterday I boarded a bus leaving my wife and dogs to stay in Maine for two weeks. A week ago I had no clue that today was going to be in Boston.

Last Tuesday I Facebook'd a friend and teammate of ours, Colin LaBrie. The next day, after talking with Colin on the phone, I had a job with a place to stay while Jen finishes work in Maine and I find us a long-term living situation. Colin is a straight-shooting no bs guy from South Boston with a heart of gold. He was a walk-on to Hofstra's XC team and by his Junior year he was #4. He is a hard working man, with a clear understanding of what he wants, who fought for a 4:38 mile and turned that talent into a 27:15 XC 8k. Now he is a business man, making money and providing jobs to a staff of about 40 people. As a friend he is honest and there for you, as a boss he is the same.

Colin really cares about this company. A few years ago, about to go under, Colin stepped in and shouldered a lot of the responsibility from his father's ailing business. The economy, a family loss that struck his father hard and Colin's great business sense were a pie chart of why his entrance into Paramount Transportation was a great opportunity. His father is a man well versed in the moving trade, is charismatic, dresses smart, is charming and when he asks you to do something you do it. Yet, he a man of many years does not have the nickname or reputation of "Mr. Meany" aka Mr. Colin LaBrie. He might tell you that you messed up, he might even bark it at you with a no nonsense "you cost us money" kind of attitude... but it is the truth. His stern corrections are never to be taken with a grain of salt, he always has a legitimate point, but it shouldn't be taken personally because it is not vindictive.

Also the truth, regardless of any aid, we would have made it to Boston, probably by the first of September, if not, definitely by the 1st of October. Also the truth, if Colin had called on us we would have done anything to help, that's what friends and teammates do. Still, we called on you Colin and you answered, you answered like f'ing Robin Williams to Aladdin. Yet, unlike the tale from the Arabian nights, crafted into a wonderful Disney movie, the roles are reversed. Thank you Mr. Labrie for helping to set us free.