Old Friends Talking

by Pa Rock

Neighbor and Friend

I don't get a lot of visitors at my place, a situation that is entirely my fault because I don't go out of my way to meet people or be social.  But this week I have had two old friends stop by to chat, and both served as nice breaks to my otherwise dull routine.

Good neighbor Rex came by on Tuesday.  I had just gone outside and discovered that he was bush-hogging the part of my land that I don't keep mowed.  Rex normally does that twice a year and has ever since I have lived here.  Rex is a year older than me and retired from a career of well-drilling and over-the-road truck-driving.  I pay Rex for the mowing and other odd jobs that he helps with, like snow-plowing and tree removal, but he is the type of guy who would work for nothing - just to be helpful and stay busy.  He proved that on Tuesday when he made it clear that he didn't want anything for that day's bush-hogging,  He said I always paid him too much anyway and that day's mowing was my "birthday gift."  (My birthday was in March - so now I have to figure out some way to repay Rex's kindness without the use of cash!)

Rex got off of his tractor and walked over to visit when he saw me outside.  He wanted to know about my drive-about to Canada, and we discussed that for awhile.  Rex has driven over much of North America, so we had a few road stories to exchange.  Then he told me about his brother.  I didn't ask the brother's age, but got the impression that he is older than Rex and in poor health.  The brother had read about the world's tallest building, which is in Dubai, on the internet and decided that he would like to see that building and ride the elevator to the top.  Rex's brother got his plane ticket, took the 14-hour flight to Dubai, and ascended the world's tallest building!

Rex said that he asked his brother before he left, "What if you die while you're gone?"  and the brother replied, "That shouldn't be a problem.  They've got shovels over there!"

Rex and I are very careful to never discuss politics out of a mutual assumption that we are probably not on the same political page.

The next day another old friend stopped by to visit.  Matt and I taught together in an area high school forty years ago, and today we live about twenty-five miles apart yet seldom see each other.  Yesterday was our first visit in at least two years.   Matt told me yesterday that he will be ninety next year.  When we get together one of the things we do is to run down the list of our old friends and try to figure out which ones are still vertical.    Matt informed me of several who have gone on since our last visit, including one who passed away only last week.

Matt and I do discuss politics because we are both in general political agreement.   We share the same concerns and dislikes about Trump, and we are both excited about Kamala Harris being in the race.

Not every old person is an automatic Trump supporter.  In fact, many of us are not.  Remember that, it's important!

I don't get much company, but I damned sure treasure the company that I do get!  

Old Friends / Bookends

by Simon and Garfunkel

Old friends

Old friends

Sat on their park bench

Like bookends

A newspaper blown through the grass

Falls on the round toes

Of the high shoes

Of the old friends

Old friends

Winter companions 

The old men

Lost in their overcoats

Waiting for the sunset

The sounds of the city

Sifting through trees

Settle like dust

On the shoulders

Of the old friends

Can you imagine us

Years from today

Sharing a park bench quietly?

How terribly strange

To be seventy

Old friends

Memory brushes the same years

Silently sharing the same fear

Time it was, 

And what a time it was

It was . . . 

A time of innocence

A time of confidences

Long ago . . . it must be . . . 

I have a photograph

Preserve your memories

There all that's left you