Elderly Friend
His back pain never ceases
since the crash,
when the other driver
failed to see the red light.
The active and early retirement
he enjoyed for thirty years
changed in a moment,
as if someone pressed the “stop” button.
He now spends his days in a favorite chair
looking out the front door
at a narrow view of the neighborhood,
like a wounded race horse in a stall.
The TV is never on during the day
and no radio can be seen nearby,
as he finds comfort in the only place
that conforms to his malformed spine.
I’ve known him for five years
and visit him periodically,
because he seems to enjoy company.
He’s full of stories
that frequently repeat themselves,
while I listen as if they’re new—
good one’s worth relishing again
on a lazy afternoon.
I lift his spirits by being there
and seek no recompense.
To see him smile
and hear an occasional laugh
is my reward.
He is a friend,
albeit limited due to circumstances,
and I’ll miss him,
as time takes its toll
and strength recedes
in increments too small to measure.
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