I just got word from the staff at the Masa Inn that one of their favourite customers Danny Petitte has passed away.
For anyone who has stayed at the Masa and walked passed room 139, ground floor, front pool area, and seen a scruffy 65+ year old bearded hippie type American with a walking cane and drinking multiple cups of black coffee, glasses of red wine and puffing on his beloved cigarettes, then that was Danny.
Danny has a long history at the Masa and I believe he was instrumental in helping the owners establish the business 30 years ago.
Danny was treated as a member of the family, so much so, that the Balinese family who still own the Masa recently planted a small tree outside of Danny's room.
This tree had been grafted onto another tree to symbolise the joining together of the two families.
Danny and I had occasionally shared a bottle or 2 of Bundy or red wine on his front porch while he nibbled on his favourite TJ's pizza.
Danny was an ex Vietnam veteran (field radio operator) who fought at the the two major battles of Pleiku (sp) and Hue.
He once told me that after Vietnam he left the U.S. in 1969(returning once for his mothers funeral), bumped into Japan, got offered a job as a school teacher and as late as last year he was still there teaching at a University near Tokyo.
Danny has a Balinese family and also enjoyed travelling to Margaret River in W.A. to catch up with old friends.
I tell you these few things that I know about Danny simply because I found him to be one of the most intelligent, genuine and friendliest people that I have ever met.
I will surely miss our front porch chats outside room 139 in January.
Hoolz