I do not own The A-Team or any of the characters mentioned in this story! Wish I did! Well this is a story I just wrote. Not sure what possessed me to write this. Guess it is because it is near the anniversary of my own best friend's death. The poem that is in this story was actually written shortly after he died. Now on with the story!
Forever in Our Hearts
He was still in shock. When he received the phone call he thought that he had misunderstood what his friend was saying. His best friend could not be dead! It was just not possible. Even though he was sitting in the church waiting for the funeral to end he still couldn't believe it was happening. But when you think of the circumstances it was understandable that he was still in denial. At least when Hannibal had died they all had time to prepare and to say goodbye. This death had come without warning and no one had been able to say goodbye to their now deceased friend. He looked around at all the people who had showed up to pay their last respects. Most of the people he recognized but there were a few who did not look familiar to him at all. He saw Amy, Tawnia, and Frankie sitting a few rows back. All three looked as if they could start crying at the drop of a hat. While these three had never been officially listed as part of the A-Team all four of the original members considered them part of their weird dysfunctional family (yes even Frankie!). He was surprised when he saw three particular individuals in attendance. There almost directly across from where he was sitting was General Stockwell, Colonel Decker and Captain Crane. He figured it shouldn't really have been a surprise that those three had shown up to his friend's funeral since they had shown up for Hannibal's funeral as well. Sitting next to him was B.A. Just looking at him you would think that this day was not bothering him at all. But if you believed that you didn't know him very well. All you had to do was to really look at the big guy to notice the tremors that shook him. The preacher seemed to be winding down and he was relieved that soon they would be able to leave this place. But that was not going to happen anytime soon if what the preacher just said was any indication. Pastor Boyd had just announced that someone had asked to speak at the end of the funeral. Slowly Amy got up and went to the front of the church. She was obviously nervous, but gathered up her courage and started to speak.
"We are all here today to honor the memory of a mutual friend. He was someone who could pull you into his crazy schemes and you would think it was the most natural thing in the world at the time. He had a talent of being able to make people laugh and to forget their own problems and just enjoy life. At one time in my own life I was having doubts about whether or not to continue with my career as a writer. I was sitting in a restaurant and the next thing I know someone was sitting across from me! I had not even heard him walk up to me. I had been busy writing in my notebook and never even looked up until he sat down. He then proceeded to grab my notebook thinking that it was a story I was writing for the paper, but boy was he surprised to see that it was actually a poem. I had never let anyone read any of the poetry that I had written, but when I told him this he laughed and said there is always a first time for everything. So he started to read and I very nervously waited for his reaction. When he finished I was surprised to see that he had tears in his eyes. He then proceeded to tell me that I should share my poetry with others. I told him that maybe one day I would do it. Well today is that day I guess. I wrote this in memory of our friend Murdock. Hope you're watching my friend! I am finally doing what you wanted me to do!"
Softly at first but then when she started to gain more confidence Amy started to read the poem she had written for Murdock.
Forever a Pilot
I have always loved to fly
To soar high above you in the sky
To look down on the earth and see
The people hurrying on the street.
I always loved the sky so blue
When all you could see were the clouds around you
You feel so free of pain and fear
And it seems as if God is so near.
My time on earth is through
And now I must say goodbye to you
My final flight plan has been made
And it cannot be delayed.
Although my time on earth is through
I will always be with you.
Just keep me close within your heart
And we will never really be apart.
I am flying with the angels now.
For God has given me my final wings.
And every time you look up in the sky
Picture me flying high -- with angel's wings.
After she finished reading her poem Amy walked back to her seat and the pastor got up again and I know he must have said something, but I wasn't listening to him. I felt like someone had come up and hit me. It was almost as if Murdock himself had written that as a goodbye to all of us. I suddenly felt an arm come across my shoulders and when I looked B. A. had moved from his position and was sitting next to me. I was not surprised to see the tears streaming down his face, but I was surprised to note that I was also crying. Finally I was releasing all the emotion I had been hiding inside since I had gotten the phone call. At the gravesite I walked up to Amy and thanked her for her kind words. I told her that I agreed with Murdock and that she should share the poems she had written with her friends. She just laughed and said, "Anytime you want to read any of my poems Face you are more than welcome to do so." I just smiled and gave her a hug goodbye and walked back over to where B.A. was standing. The two of us went up to the grave said our goodbyes and walked away together to the van. I felt as if both Hannibal and Murdock were smiling down on us and when I looked over at B.A. he smiled and said, "Do you feel them to?" I nodded and laughed and in the stillness it seemed as if you could hear the answering laughter of two other people. I knew that though Murdock and Hannibal were both gone from this world they would never be really gone as long as they remained in our hearts.
