My good friend and life-long pal, Robert Lowell "Bob" White, died of cancer on February 15, 2008, just a couple of months beyond his 62nd birthday. He was a gentleman, a gentle man, and an active member of the community. A dedicated, loyal, and eager worker, he is sorely missed.
My Best Friend Died Today
In Memory of Robert Lowell White
1945-2008
It should have been a day like any other,
filled with the sights, sounds, and smells to which I have become accustomed
these past sixty-three years.
Yet, it was a day unlike any other which has come before.
My best friend died today.
We had been pals, bosom-buddies for more than a half-century.
We had shared the same middle name, a fact which we talked about so very many times.
He had shared his contagious smile and raucous laughter with me on
oh, so many occasions over the years.
He had introduced me to his boyhood farm, and the daily ritual
of caring for the land and the livestock.
He had shared his compassion when loved ones were lost to me; and I had
reciprocated when he had experienced his own losses.
He was the familiar voice at the other end of the telephone connection.
He was the written message on cards and letters in his simple script.
He was the funny guy who could cheer me up with a silly joke or story.
He was the friend who remembered my birthday with a subscription to a draft horse magazine.
He was a friend who had stood by me when so many others turned away
in my hour of weakness.
He had loved me for who I was and did not find fault with me.
When the call came today, I was unprepared.
Numbed, I listened to the words but could not comprehend them.
Only later, when I had a few moments to reflect, did the tears flow freely.
During the quiet times to come, when I am left alone with my thoughts and memories,
I will picture his face, hear his voice, and laugh with him.
My best friend died today.
He is gone, and I will miss him.
(c) 2008 Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.
