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I really miss my friend Raymond. We
have been friends for about 20 years. He came to Virginia when he
retired as an iron worker in New York. Before it became electronic
he worked on the ball that we all watch fall at midnight on New
years Eve. It is approaching midnight for Raymond. I see him every
Sunday at church and sometimes I help him to his seat. I will say
"good morning Raymond" sometime he will reply "Hi Jim" and other
times he just smiles at me.
Raymond is drifting into that
fog that is called Alzheimer's. What a cruel way to live your last
years. He was at our house with other friends for our yearly Super
Bowl Party and had his regular seat in front of the Television. His
wife fixed his snack and we all watched over him and helped him find
the bathroom when he needed to go. It took a while to get his coat
on as he was leaving but he remembered that he always put his hat in
the sleeve of his coat. He wears a transponder that looks like a
wrist watch on his arm so when he decides at three o'clock in the
morning it is time for church and leaves his house he can be found
by the police.
He comes to our house on Wednesday afternoons when we "group" and
talk about what we are reading, our moment closest to Christ and
disappoints and success in our life. Raymond will talk about things
we don't understand and are things in has past.
I can't take him with me anymore when I ride the ferry across the
James river to Camp Chanco. He would get upset and want out of our
car. I really miss my friend Raymond but I still know God is good,
all the time, all the time god is good!!
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