Mr. Cambel was a sixty-two year old black man who had little education in his youth, having grown up in rural Mississippi. At the outbreak of World War Two, he packed up his belongings and moved to San Francisco, California. Here he obtained work in the Naval Shipyard at Hunter's Point.

Mr. Cambel was too old to go into the Armed Forces, so he felt he must do his best to help with the war effort. There is little doubt that he faced discrimination in his work, for he was still low rated until the mid 1950's.

Mr. Cambel was the most pleasant man I have ever known. Every morning he would come in and say, "Good Morning!" One would believe it came from his heart. To be greeted by Mr. Cambel in the morning was to be turned on for the entire day.

One morning I did not feel well and was sitting nursing a morning cup of coffee. Mr. Cambel came in and in his usual way, announced his "Good Morning!"

"Mr. Cambel?" I asked. "Do you ever get up and just feel poorly, and you just don't want to be nice to anyone? How can you always be so nice?"

"Sure," He said. "I get up every morning and I look at myself in the mirror, and I don't like that ugly face looking back at me. So I smile real big and I say GOOD MORNING!. And you know, that ugly face smiles back at me and says �GOOD MORNING!�"

"Then I take a walk before breakfast and I walk a block or two down the street. Lots of people are out at that time, and I look them in the eye and say �GOOD MORNING!� Most smile and say �GOOD MORNING� to me! How can anyone feel bad when so many wonderful people are wishing you a good morning!"

When my time on this earth has come to an end and I travel to that Heavenly Place, I expect to hear a hearty "Good Morning", for I expect Mr. Cambel to be there. I also know that Heaven will be a happier place with him.

- - - Tom Nance