I drove 400 miles one way ..What a way to end 2017.

If you ever saw Beaches the movie…. You will feel the impact of this post.   I met a little girl when I was 10 and she was 9.  We became instant friends.   I was already a 4th cousin and close to her husband to be in a few years to come.   I just don’t know who I was closer to.  Him or her.   We  roamed the fields together as the song says in Auld Lang  and we loved each other deeply.   We politically were never on the same page but we just never went there.   

I was going to set up she and her husband to meet each other in 1966.   He was a puppy love and we had outgrown that and moved on , I mean I was what?   13 ?  In 66 I was 16 and she was 15.   The year 1966 they both cancelled my Halloween party but ironically were set up on a blind date. 

 He joined the Marines in  1967.  She and I held each other when we got the news he had been wounded in Nam but his gunshot wound was patched and he was back in the jungle.  She and I became almost inseparable.    We plotted and planned their R & R in Hawaii.   We raised our kids together, we did almost everything together.  They went through 2 divorces I had with me.    We went through all our troubles and woes and good times,  throughout the years together.   They loved Jack, when we got together and we instantly became the 4 musketeers.   

We started United Veterans together.  We put on benefits and helped vets.   They live in Georgia and even though Jack and I live in Florida, we stayed in touch.  I got the call Christmas day that one of the Musketeers has walked on.   She was crying so very hard…  Her husband , who I had helped get his disability  for in 1997 before the organization was  even started had died on Christmas Eve.   We packed up our things and traveled 400 miles in heavy traffic and feeling grief to be with her.   We as friends and as an organization had to be there out of tears, memories and pain.   My friend held me tight as we cried and remembered 57 years of friendship and devotion to one another.  She had just celebrated her 51st anniversary with this old Marine the day he died and he had just turned 70 on the 19th.   I have never played this song that meant as much as this year and I want to honor my oldest friend Lamar Parson….1947-2017...who died from Agent orange disabilities and as BOHICA  our Kossack here says a lot...”They killed us in Nam we just didn’t lay down yet. “  Lamar laid down Christmas Eve and he was buried in a national cemetery on top of a mountain in North Ga.

This year has been hard and it ended with tears of grief.

RIP my old Marine buddy as you and your wife has always took my side in every circumstance since we were just little kids running in fields of dreams.   I love you both and my Vet and me will miss you as we feel like we just lost some of us and the organization lost a fine Volunteer .   My vet lowered the flag in honor of your service the day of your funeral to half staff that waved high in your yard.   

Walk on friend.

For my childhood and adult friend who just lost her husband……