Have you ever wanted to say something to someone, but then it was too late to say it? Have you ever had words with someone and the person was gone before you could sort it out? It happens to people every day. Last week it was my turn.

Over the past 35-plus years, Chief Donald Loeb (Ret.) has authored hundreds of articles for FIRE CHIEF magazine. Don was passionate about teaching the fire service how to fight fires the right way. It wasn't complicated, and a lot of it was common sense -- even more so today.

Don's phone calls were usually to let me know about some recent fire that had again proved his articles -- from as far back as the '80s -- were right on target. He loved to tell me he was right, and I enjoyed hearing it. Every conversation was proof that history repeats itself. The 1 1/2-story, frame house-fire article? It was printed in 1982 and we still get requests for it.

Every manuscript I received from Don came in a large, padded envelope that was tightly taped shut. Inside were two pieces of cardboard -- taped on all four sides -- containing a red folder. Don typed his articles on an old, manual typewriter and included photos with his captions inside a plastic sleeve. There was always a short, handwritten personal note of endearment or caution. Even though we'd retype the article on computer, I always kept the folders because of all the work he put into preparing them.

Don contributed regularly over the years, but he probably wrote more in the last year than he had in three years. As each manuscript came in, we'd try to schedule it, but requests for articles about hazmat, extrication, budgets, water rescues and the many other changing aspects of the emergency services made every month a tug-of-war between articles for new fire service roles and basic firefighting.

Don could be feisty, as a letter to a previous editor in 1982 bore out. When asked for his photo, Don wrote that he wanted to be standing, not sitting despite the photographer's insistence. "The photographer was so upset at the first standing that he insisted on another. After it was done and he gave me the final product, I started to laugh and he got angry at me. He went through two rolls of film and couldn't get a smile. That's the way it goes, I guess."

In recent years, Don gave me ultimatums (which he knew would get my undivided attention). Recently, we were working with a publisher to have his articles printed in a book, but it didn't happen fast enough. Don's deadlines were different than ours. He was very frustrated with me.

Don Loeb's message was simple and direct. My last conversation with him was quarrelsome, and as I hung up the phone I thought once he settled down, we'd sort it out and talk about the book again.

But time ran out, and I missed his deadline.

Janet Wilmoth, Editor