A Sad Trip

My oldest friend of 62 years had been fighting cancer for two years but word came the evening I got back from Port Macquarie that the battle was lost.
I flew up to Brisbane a day later to say good bye.
We had a good three hours together and he was with it enough to talk about our primary and secondary school days as well as some of our surfing exploits, ‘near misses’ in the stupid period of our late teen and young adult years, mutual dating fiascos and family life after settling down.
And even though I had left Brisbane for Sydney when 21, we still had maintained contact and visited one another.
He cracked a few jokes and was able to deliver few of his well known zingers.
His wife of around 45 years whom I had also known since primary school was with us as was a mutual school friend whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. Two of his three boys with their families dropped by.
We even managed a glass of wine to toast long term friendships.
Obviously not a happy time but it was a fitting and satisfying farewell and it was obvious he appreciated the efforts that friends were making to come see him.
I flew home with a heavy heart and he was gone the day after.
Lesson: Live each day to the fullest. You never know when life may be cut short.
Vale Bruce.