Good Friends and Family

Thinking to myself, I just can’t get over the good feeling I get when I look back on all the people I have in my life who love and appreciate me. I’ve got two brothers and a father who’s still alive and well, living in Arizona. My dad is one of the luckiest people I know. He’s got a pool in his yard and an orange tree growing right beside it. Man… what a luck. I live up north in the freezing cold. I don’t even know why I live up here. I guess I just got used to it, but there are those times when I can’t help but wonder what’s going on in their lives. You know, one of those moods where you want to check up on friends and loved ones, just to find out how they’re doing. So here goes… I think I’ll start off by calling my older brother Marc. He lives out west in Nevada. I bet everyday’s a holiday out there. Well… there we go, I found his number and I’m dialing. Okay! He’s picking up, super, my brother Marc…

“Hey Marc! It’s me, Reid. How’ya do’in?”

“Huh, who? Who is this?”

“It’s me, your brother Reid. Hey, how’s it go’in?”

“Oh, it’s you. Hey listen. I’m expecting an important call any minute. I’ll get back to ya. Later.” ‘click’

Hmm… I guess he had something important to do. Yeah, that ‘click’ noise was him hanging up alright, but if I know Marc, he had a really good reason to keep our conversation to a few brief but meaningful words. Yo, I know what I’ll do, I’ll call my dad. He’s older an wiser then we are anyway. You gotta learn to put your trust in someone, you know what I mean? You can’t go losing your faith in humanity. That’s no way for anyone to live. Now where did I put his number?.. Here we go! I’ll just ask him how he’s do’in and stuff like that. You know, the way a father and son can shoot the breeze all day about damn near anything. So here goes… I can hear it ringing. You gotta give him a little time to get to the phone lately, he’s no spring chicken anymore.

“Hello. Who is it?”

“It’s me dad! Yer ever lov’in son Reid. How are ya.”

“Oh, gee Reid. This is a bad time right now.”

“Uh, oh. What’s up? You can tell me dad, I’m no stranger. Give it to me straight. Is it a health issue? You want me to come down an help out? I can be there by tomorrow morning if I hustle, just give me the word.”

“No, no. Nothing like that. I was just on my way out the door that’s all. There’s a lunch time special going on at a new, all you can eat place. Why don’t I call you later? How’s that? Gotta go now. Be good.” ‘click’

Well it sounds to me like he better hurry if he wants to get there in time. That’s understandable. Besides, I’d really rather talk to a peer anyway. Someone my own age who knows and understands me. Someone who understands a whole bunch of stuff… like my old high school friend Dan. Dan’s in charge of a whole group of young scientists at Berkeley, California. I swear, he’s the smartest person I ever met. I’ll just give him a buzz and find out what he’s doing. His life is so exciting. He’s either discovering a new comet or solving aids or something. I don’t even know. Whatever it is he does is so complicated, he doesn’t even want to tell me. He probably just knows I won’t understand anyway, so what’s the use in explaining. Oh well, I’ll just call his cell phone here an maybe get ta pick his brain a little if I’m lucky…

“Hello… Neumark Research Group. How can I help you?”

“Hi! Hey, is Dan around? This is his old friend Reid. Can I talk to him?”

“Umm, I’ve just spoken to Mr. Neumark and he says he doesn’t know anyone by that name.”

“Whaddaya mean? I don’t understand. Of course he knows me. We went to high school together. Tell him it’s me, Reid Laurence. He’ll know me.”

“He say’s he doesn’t know any Reid Laurence and to please not call here again, his time is very valuable.” ‘click’

Well I’ll be. I suppose even Dan must forget people and things every now and then. Hey, nobody’s perfect you know what I mean. You’ve gotta learn to cut people some slack every now and then. What the heck, he’s got more to do then talk on the phone, I’m sure. Anyway, I can always pass some quality time playing with my cute puppy, ‘Solomon’. He’s a chubby little Miniature Pinscher who wouldn’t hurt a fly. Now where did that little guy go? Ah, there he is… he’s under the bed. “Hey boy, what’re ya do’in under the bed? C’mon out an we’ll have some fun. Here, take my hand…” Ouch! “You putz! Whad’ja bite me for?! Why you… I give you the best food, an a warm place in bed ta sleep and that’s the way you repay me. Wow, man’s best friend, huh. Friends like that an I don’t need enemies.

Well, everyone has their bad day I guess. Like I was thinking before, you gotta cut people an even dogs some slack now an then, right? Hey, it’s not a perfect world right. But it’s a big world, that’s for sure. You know what, I’ll just go out an make some new friends, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll meet some new people who’ll know me and appreciate me. Now where did I put my car keys? “Solomon, you didn’t drag my keys under the bed, did you?”

“Grrr…”