All Those Years...

You just never know

We talked about life,

the silly and the true.

.

He told me of his wife

And how they knew they were through.

.

His time in the Navy

and proudly retired.

.

We talked about saving 

and a meeting inquired.

.

We were mates of the soul

And friends of the heart.

.

He introduced his whole family,

We had ten years head start.

.

He did not drink, did not smoke.

Always aware and inspired.

.

But a call from his daughter broke the news;

Mark had died in a raging fire.

.

He was alone when it happened

And no evidence of foul play.

.

His kid worked the fire station 

Only a couple miles away.

.

But a boundary dispute stopped them

and they had no idea

.

That a firefighter's father

was burning in the fire so near.

.

When I learned of Mark's death,

I thought of all our funny talks.

.

How we were too old for weddings

And too young for long walks.

.

I miss him holidays like Christmas,

He was such fun to be around.

.

Although we never got hitched,

Our feet planted firmly on the ground.

.

I thank God I got to know him

If only ten short years...

.

And every Christmas I want to show him,

I still love him through all my tears.

~

Author's Note

Mark Wright. He was my friend, my confident, I believe we were headed for more when he was found, his house ablaze and his body discovered in a back room. His daughter worked at the fire station only a couple miles away but, due to a boundary dispute, got called last.