You Fought a Good fight

 Fare travels, Mike. You fought a good fight.

Standing beside MIke's bed in the VA hospital, I was filled with sadness and thankfulness. Thankful that I had known this man for so many years as a truly good friend. Our conversations through the years were sometimes mere laugh fests and sometimes extremely deep.

Since his passing I have reconnected with Mike's best friend and sidekick from high school. Sharing our memories of those days of carefree youth has been sweet. Reminds me of life surrounded by orchards, drives to Santa Cruz and picnics at Steven's Creek Park, basketball games in our respective gyms, and the night Mike rolled our friend Gavin's parents Mercedes.

I imagine Mike sipping brandy with Hemmingway in some tropical other-world filled with joy and contentment discussing all their favorite books and classic movies and the meaning of life.

"Friendship is not a jewel or a coin or a gift

Jewels and coins and gifts don’t die

Friendship is not a flower or blown glass;

Friendship is not fragile

Friendship is not a poem or a melody

Because friendship cannot be forgotten

Friendship is a symphony

With grand overtures

Melodic harmonies

and unforgettable phrases

punctuated by Attacking staccatos, Vibrant arpeggios then peaceful interludes

And sometimes rests Followed by thoughtful segues

All held together by a coherent structure

called Respect"

(Ellis Reyes Apr 2021)