Wednesday could be Friends’ day

  Pic's of today:

Tuckr and Buddy back then (They are both OLD now.

For today:

I am a very fortunate man. In my life I have had 4 real LONG TIME friends. You and many others can say many more.  BUT with the life style I choose, establishing real friendships is near impossible.

I had two real friends as a teenager, Vondale and Buddy. Both great guys in my opinion, there was a real bond.  I had a desire to become a military man, and there on Parris Island I met the third real friend, Pvt R D Fletcher. I know him as Dallas.  The name itself I liked. I had never known anyone named Dallas. A couple of towns maybe, but not a dude.

Above is a picture of me 'n Dallas (and about 70 others!).  LOL

Dallas was from a foreign country, Pennsylvania.  Well for a country boy from NC it seemed like it was foreign.  At first he even sounded ‘funny’. LOL

He began my education on states other than NC, SC and GA. I had always pictured PA as cities, i.e. Pittsburg, Philladelphia.

But this is about ME being FORTUNATE. I met these guys in the 1950s. Today they are still alive. All have had medical problems but in our 80s we are still above the worms. We all have good solid marriages.   Either of these men today would come to my aid if I needed it and I to theirs. Friendships of over 70 years are nothing to sneeze at.

AT present Vondale is watching his love slowly fade away, due to health and dementia. WE have offered but of course he can handle it himself. We honor his desires.

Dallas & Marian today. That Marian is eternally young, however........  LOL  Love 'em.

WE plan to visit Dallas and his sweet wife Marian up in PA in a few weeks, then down to Florida where we must see Buddy and his lovely wife Di.  WE will return to NC and if Vonnie needs us we will be available.

The later-in-life BEST friend I had was actually family. Sonny was a brother-in-law. Married to Sherry’s sister Colette.  He was close, we saw each other most days. We traveled thousands of miles together. I have thought of Sonny as a teen friend, we hung together just as Vonnie, Buddy and I did as teens.. Sonny died a few years ago, I still think of him every day.

Yes, I have had only a few friends, but they are/were the BEST.  They make me smile, laugh and love them as the best guys in the world.

  NiteShipslog

PS: There is nothing like a real friend…