My Old Friend

by Trivette Lover Heather

Regrets come when someone leaves...sometimes for good...& Hawkeye finds out the hard way... about the deepest summary Ive ever written :

"My Old Friend"

By: Trivette Lover Heather

Song Rights to: Tim McGraw

He walked in, trying to mingle as best he could. He searched for even one familiar face but to no avail. It was a sea of black, with an occasional shade of white. It was like Korea, except no green or slight shade of khaki.

He shook off the memories that stormed his head and made a B-Line for the drinks.

He gulped one after the other, as he stared at the entrance of where he knew the casket would lay. He saw people going in and out, a particular husband clutching his wife who was wailing in grief. He wondered if he would allow himself to cry as he watched the husband sit with his wife a few feet away.

His mind wandered to the times past, allowing his heart to break more and more...

My old friend, I recall
The times we had hanging on my wall
I wouldn't trade them for gold
Cause they laugh and they cry me
Somehow sanctify me
Their woven in the stories I have told
And tell again

Why didn't he ever return the phone calls? If he missed him so much, why didn't he make the effort? The thoughts ran wild as he reminisced...He set down his drink and started for the door into the sanctuary. He took about four steps before returning to the table for another drink. Finally, he decided to take his glass with him down the isle, clutching onto it for dear life.

He walked in and saw part of the black casket as people passed before it.

His heart broke in that instant he saw the cold face of his friend lying there.

He treaded down the isle, constantly glancing down to the glass in his hand.

He thought he may have felt a tear roll down and quickly looked up to find that the tears had been streaming down his face the entire walk down the isle.

It seemed the groups of people cleared for him alone. He knelt down and closed his eyes, each time, tears finding there way through onto his cheeks. He looked up and stared at his friends pale face. He set his hands on the side of the casket, setting the glass on it as well.

He started to speak, but couldn't. He was never at a loss for words and knew if his friend were alive he would be shocked. Suddenly as he looked up at his face once more, it hit him that his friend was gone, that he wouldn't have another chance to make up for the time he lost. As he glanced quickly and stared at the closed eyes, his forehead fell onto the casket and his shoulders began to shake. Minutes passed and all he could do was weep and weep.

The place was almost surreal. Everyone seemed to stop and watch this man, this old man, cry and cry.

Suddenly the silence was broken when the sound of shattered glass was heard. In his agony he had broken the glass with his hand. Blood trickled down and one man attempted to help and did so without a movement from the man.

Then he stood up, leaning down and giving his friend a kiss on the forehead. As his warm lips touched the cold face he burst into a short bit of tears once again...his heart saying...

My old friend, I apologize
For the years that have passed
Since the last time you and I
Dusted off those memories
But the running and the races
The people and the places
There's always somewhere else I had to be
Time gets slim, my old friend

Don't know why, don't know why
Don't know why, don't know why

He began to take a few steps away, then stopped suddenly and threw up a mock salute, his bloody hand raised, still pieces of glass piercing his skin.

He stared for a few moments more and turned his back. He saw a few familiar faces right then, one man in particular had helped him when he had broken the glass. The crucifix on his neck giving him away to the old friend.

Hours passed as the group of friends dusted off the old memories they had. And vowed to always say goodbye to one another.

He had made it through the goodbye, and Lord knew he would never forget it, till he himself said goodbye to this world of hurt.

My old friend, this song's for you
Cause a few a few simple verses
Was the least that I could do
To tell the world that you were here
Cause the love and the laughter
Will live long after
All of the sadness and the tears
We'll meet again, my old friend

Goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye

My old friend, my old friend
Goodbye, goodbye

As he drove away, he turned to see the casket being brought out of the home and he nodded as if now understanding something he never did ... he grinned...

"Goodbye Trapper."