My Dearest Friend

I remember that warm spring day. You were getting exercise you say. Hum, I thought, he's a nice looking man. Though his physique he's no body builder fan. He's more like a good ole boy. Sometimes, I could hear his laughter carry. Clean he kept himself, his mustash trimmed not harry. I kept an eye on this jolly man, as he walked he'd stop to say hi to his favorite fans. I told myself one day, I'm going to introduce myself. Not long after, I saw him walking again. I waited till he was almost in front of my place. I went strolling out and I said "Hi, do you need a walking partner?" He must of jumped 3 feet, for goodness sake. I apologize, I didn't mean to scare you. He had this smile and this burly laugh, and you just knew. "Sure, I guess I could use one." So, together we started around the complex walk'n and a talk'n. As time went by, he'd stop to say hi and we would sit on the patio and laugh and talk and I'd almost cry. He was a truck driver at one time, he had some stories in mind. So many stories he had, some funny some sad. I had traveled too, and lived in some places he had not knew. Oh at the stories we had to tell. Sitt'n on my patio until sunset fell. Soon a friendship kindled, together we went to church and gave praise. We went here and there, and the people here would gaze. One day I missed my kindhearted friend. I would here his laughter somewhere. I would see him in his power chair. Then one day a knock at my door. There he was with his head down and said in a broken voice, "I don't know if I can be seen with you anymore?" "Why", I asked, "Have I done something wrong?" "Oh no, no it's not you." it came pouring out like a song. It's people here that are talking. I said,"people will talk about Jesus Christ, no matter what you do." You and I both know we have done nothing wrong, so what's new? He study for a moment, then look up with lightly teary eyes. He said,"your right". Now everything is fine. Neither of us knew then that we would be life long friends. Your laughter always brighten my cloudy days. I miss your smiling face. I always say a prayer in your case. Right from the start you layed it on the line, I'm not look'n for a serous relationship of that kind. I only want a friend, we respected that and never crossed that line. When you moved away. It took a lot for me not to cry that day. Yes,we will call each other from time to time. Two years later it seems the time between calls have been getting a little longer my dearest friend.