Something bad happened a few days ago. Really bad. To someone I used to know. At least, I thought I did. Long ago, we were all full of edginess, clawing our way to the top of the nearest heap of dreams. Some of us had moral boundaries, while others just did anything necessary to realize their desires. Something really bad happened a few days ago. Not to me, but someone I used to know. Hearing the news, I realized I never knew him at all.
His mug shot, displayed for the world to see, revealed a man in trouble. Not the spicy young executive with a life of possibilities ahead of him. A lost soul staring through a shatter life into the lens of the law. His emperor’s clothing exchanged for a white t-shirt and emotionless expression. The same exterior I used to know. However, the young man I knew vacated the premises years ago. His chickens have come home to roost. Karma does that sometimes.
There’s an old saying I’m trying to remember these days. “A truth told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent.” In this case, truer words have never been spoken. Knowing so many things about this man and his poor choices, gossip perches on my lips wishing I had a friend that remembered the past as I do. But alas, that part of my life ended when I moved to Nevada. The stories were from years ago, although they remain delicious to this day. Looking back, the direction he chose back then paints the mug shot of his today.
With internet connectivity, my phone blew up with texts. Okay. Okay. I had two messages, which for me is blown sky high. I’m pretty quiet. One of the messages let me know of this really bad thing that’d happened in my childhood town to someone I used to know. The other came from the most unexpected source. An old friend.
Friendship is funny like that. Some people come into our lives, bringing messages, laughter, and comfort for a time. Some stay and some disappear for days, weeks, years, or forever in either case. But then, some return. A return it was in this case.
Braveheart, she shall be called. Because, brave she is. Not many have a bigger heart. Liking her is an easy thing to do. Beautiful and willowy-tall, she becomes even taller in heels. She’s the mom to a baseball team of children and shows wisdom and grace on a daily basis. Smart, witty, compassionate, and truthful, she stepped into a very public arena for the good of others. She sacrificed much at the hands of a few. It was during those dark days our paths crossed first, and our friendship grew.
At the time, I was a teaching very ill children who were experiencing some pretty bad things on their own. Some got better. Some did not. Through all of it, I taught them, so they wouldn’t get behind in school. Over five years, the richest hours of my career were spent with my precious students. Braveheart found herself in a supporting role as a watchdog over my bosses. She did her best, anyway. It was in that group the man I used to know found himself. It was in that position, Braveheart and I weathered a ruthless storm caused by greed, power, and politics.
During those years, Braveheart was the only supervisor that joined me whenever I asked. She was the only one that sat and visited with my kiddos, as sick as they were. She cried with me. She held my hand. She helped me be strong. She taught me about grace under fire. She loved coming for visits, while bringing her brilliant smile and kind eyes. She loved my students and they loved her as much as I did.
So, you can understand that on a morning a couple days ago, when this really bad thing happened, seeing a message from her was amazing. We’d lost touch over the last few years. I filled her in on the sad events of 2020, while she filled me in on her life. It was just as if we’d never missed a day.
Both being relieved the very bad thing didn’t involve either of us, it brought back memories of things we shared. Experiences no one else would really understand. We did, because we survived that ruthless storm years ago, although a few ruffled feathers remained.
As for the troubled man I used to know. He’s Smart. Resourceful. Powerful. Resilient. Cunning. He has connections to high places. Already, he’s posted bond and the “Channel 32 News Jackals” have moved on to juicier topics. The talk will die down. Things can be made to disappear when you know how to play the game and he plays it very well. Hard to believe he was someone I used to know. However, the real truth of the matter is, I never knew anything about him at all.
Through this reunion, Braveheart and I have been sharing laughter and stories. Just like that, an Old Friendship is New again. Look through your address book and call someone you’ve lost along the way. Your voice might be the one they need to find their way back. Look for new friends, but, for heaven’s sake, don’t forget the old ones. They know all the stories. And, old stories are best shared with friends who know the endings.