Enough was enough. My friend DA seemed to be missing.
She had called another friend to get my email address, but I never heard from her. That bothered me; we had been friends since
high school. I began trying to reach
her. I didn’t write a real note as I
thought modern technology would win through in the end. I emailed her at one address. I emailed her at another address, and then I
emailed her at a third email address. Nothing
but silence. Never an answer.
I admit that I let long periods of time go by between each
email.
Finally I tried the phone.
Every number I called had been disconnected…boy they tell you that
kindly these days. I Googled her. More disconnected numbers. You know what happened next. I started thinking. My imagination ran riot. Death, accident, fire...and worse. Finally I emailed my youngest daughter, who just
happens to live in the same town and asked, “Please go see if she’s still ok?”
And she was. “Milaka,
of course I remember you. I was there
when you were born,” DA said welcoming her right in.
So thanks to Laka, I still have my friend DA. I have a new phone number and a new email
address too. Boy am I grateful. You see, as you grow older, your friends fade
away. I find I need to cherish everyone
that I still have.
For you see, all those special friends in the writing group
picture are dead, but not DA. Thanks to
my daughter, DA is still in my life.
________@________
Cherishing those friends is really important. I don't usually wait for them to contact me. If I think of them I call or email or Facebook, just to make sure all is okay.
ReplyDeleteShe could run but she couldn't hide!
ReplyDeleteWay to stick to it.
ReplyDeleteI was smiling and following along with your post hoping for a happy ending (which there was) then you added that killer of a last paragraph :(
ReplyDeleteWhich reminds me I have some friends I need to catch up with as - it's been a while since I heard from some of them!
Take care
Cathy
You are a lot more forgiving than I am. I found an old pal, wrote to her twice, and never got an answer, so I've written her off.
ReplyDeleteBut you are right: we lose people so easily, and some of those are lost forever. When you live in a place like this, we seem to lose a couple every month.
I agree that we need to cherish our old friends. Which is why I was so glad we reconnected! Especially the ones who knew us when we were young. I have so few of those people around me now because none of them still live in L.A. Through Facebook I have found a few of my elementary and high school friends as well as a gal that I met when I first start community college who Gene and I spent a great deal of time with for several years. I know that for some of these friends I will most likely not get to see them in person, through FB I can at least see what they are up to and enjoy "time together."
ReplyDeleteOh and by the way, do you still save all the wrapping paper?
ReplyDeleteI love the Friends photo of the old ladies sharing a bench. Happy Thanksgiving to you and George.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping for a happy ending! Good for you! Bless you!
ReplyDeleteBack to add to my comment. I finally saw 'Monuments Men' while visiting my son. Cried through the film looking at all the destruction. Saving Italy is a great book. The National Gallery has photos from the Monuments Men displayed on their website.
ReplyDeleteWell that's a relief! Our worries do get the best of us, sometimes and for good reason if so many of your friends are gone. Still, DA is alive and in your life. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Mage.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, you left that shocker for the end. No wonder we all get antsy as we age. They are dropping off like flies!
ReplyDelete