June 28, 2003

old friends

How many people still own a copy of Simon and Garfunkle's Bookends? I do, and I listen to it every now and then. It sails me back in time and makes the song "Old Friends" sound more poignant every time I hear it.

I recently was contacted by someone that I haven't seen or heard from for more than 20 years. He was a good friend who dropped out of my life, moved north and disappeared.

I am going to see that Old Friend again, in Charleston on the 18th of July.

I found his phone number when I spent a weekend with Steve Hamby when it was obvious that Steve was dying. Cancer was killing him slowly and we started talking about Old Friends. A name came up. We did an internet search a got a phone number.

I called and left a message. I called again a few weeks later and left another message. Well, I didn't leave MY number, so that ghost from my past had a difficult time finding me. But he finally did.

I am going to see an Old Friend soon. We have a lot to talk about.