Last night, my phone rang. And the conversation went a little like this:

"Hello?"

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Nothing much, checking e-mail, reading journals. You?"

"Just dropped Ma and Pa off. I'm on my way home. Can you come over? And maybe bring some clothes in case you need to spend the night? Do you have any plans?"

"I'll throw some things in a bag and be over ASAP"

"How long?"

"An hour, give or take..."

"ok. Thanks."

Sounds like a fun little romp, huh?  Wrong. I had been expecting this call all week.

One of my very best friends brother passed away this past week from a rare cancer that spread to his brain. Some how. Nothing had been showing up in the blood work and then 'boom!' he had a seizure one day. Yeah, that'll do it. 

Friday was the funeral and it was about 150ish miles away. The parents (in their 80's) were (and still are) in that numbing shock mode.

I went over. 'Friend' was not doing well about older brother. 'Friend' had not slept for a few nights and needed someone there just because.  Just 'cause, that's what friends do for each other.  When I lost Charlie, this same friend was there for me.  Now, it was my turn....  Sometimes, paybacks are ok.... 

We sat up until 3:00 this morning, talking and crying.  'Pa' phoned around 8:30. Pa just checking on friend. That's ok. We went over to see 'Pa' and 'Ma'.... 'Pa' looked at me and started crying. As I hugged him, he whispered to me, "You know all about this stuff, girl..."  'Ma' did the same thing.  Yeah, I do.....

Notto worry...

some how, some way, it all gets easier with time.....