People.

I stopped in to see an old friend today. I've missed him a lot; especially this past year. As I sat there and talked about life and people and dreams this peace just came over me. Out of nowhere I was laughing and remembering old times. Memories of childhood games. We always hid together while playing hide and seek. Sat by the bonfire and sang at the top of our lungs to songs we didn't know the meaning to. He was my first kiss; in the woods behind my house sitting on a log. We had our own secret club back there. And the world didn't matter. It was the freedom of childhood; the best times of my childhood. We could hide away and laugh with reckless abandon. We played king of the castle and made up grand stories of our adventures. Climbed trees and plotted running away to some magical land. He knew all of my secrets and I knew his. During those years we became the best of friends, the kind that can go years without speaking and still have that connection. I remember when he left as kids. He was at my house late with his aunt. She was talking to my Mom. I had laid down for bed and he came in to say goodbye. I'll never forget the hall light slanting across his face. The sadness in his voice as he told me he was leaving. The look in his eyes and he stared at me that last night in our own magical kingdom. At the time I didn't know why he was so sad. He turned to leave and looked back at me. He said "I'll find you some day". The next day my mother dropped the bomb. His mother had taken him to Arizona. I never saw my Lee again. Then one night I had a nightmare. Woke up to a storm raging outside and as lightning flashed I saw his face pressed against my window. I screamed bloody murder; made my mother go search for him. She reassured me that he was still in Arizona and that he had changed; probably didn't even remember me. We had this conversation several times over the years. Well. Fastforward to last year when I met Country Boy. Turns out my Lee was his best friend. They call him Rabbit. And if ever you find yourself heading south on Gene Snyder you can stop in to meet him right before the New Lagrange exit. His cross is always there; can't miss it. He still managed to find me; in death and after all those years...