Jerry Eiden

I met Jerry when I was living in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, and we were taking Spanish lessons together. Neither of us ever learned Spanish - but we were trying.

His family and my family, were both from Illinois - but the family resemblance ended there. His family moved to Los Angeles, because of all the houses being built there. Because of all the money being made there.

While he was there, a person with lots of money contacted him - and told him the really big money was being made in the Canal Zone. He would finance a construction company, they would build there - and share the profits!

Jerry jumped at the chance, and soon became a personal friend of Noriega, the dictator of Panama. A very profitable relationship, for both of them.

He made a lot of money, and soon warehouses in Florida, and a private plane he could use to commute between Florida and Panama. Which he did frequently.

All this ended, when American troops invaded Panama, and arrested Noriega. And ended the profitable life, many Americans had been living in the Zone.

Jerry liked living in Latin America, and bought a house on the Eastern side of San Jose - where I was also living, at the time. He also had houses in Florida, and commuted frequently between them.

He was also nine years old than me, and when he died, our friendship ended.