Observation of Some Friends in the Past Few Days

There is always some good people watching to be had and sometimes you're privy to some good conversation listening while doing the watching.


Monday afternoon I went to Mrs. Baker's funeral. The attenders a mix of old money Houston, friends of the family, representatives from the charities and institutions that the Bakers had supported through the years, the nurses that attended to Mr and Mrs Baker all these years, and then Wendy and me, she being the CPA and me payroll, bills and correspondence. Both Wendy and I counted Mrs. Baker a friend as well as an employer. Three of her oldest friends sat in front of Wendy and I. Two came into together, one sat down immediately leaving a small bit of space for her friend who was socializing. When the friend came to the pew, she stood there and stared at her friend like, move over...this isn't enough room. To make her point the friend began to squeeze herself in that small space and then asked, "do you want me to sit on your lap?" Friend moved over and not too much later friend 3 came to the pew and scooted in front of them to her seat. She nearly sat in friend 2's lap. Friend 2 said, " scoot over, or are you going to sit in my lap throughout the whole service?" That is when friend 1 says, we have this same conversation every time we sit together in church. And then they began giggling like young school girls. I can only hope that when my friends and I are at that ancient age, we can laugh at and with each other. It was by all rights a traditional Episcopal funeral with a few short comments in particular about Mrs. Baker. We were encouraged though to think of our own special memory that we had of her. I had several and all of them made me smile. One I remember well is when Mrs. Baker was telling me about her sister in law. She said, Betty would give you the shirt off her back, but she would tell you how to wear it. I will always treasure my time I got to spend with Mrs. Baker, she so gentle and kind, so noble of spirit.


Yesterday, while waiting in the Dr office, two older gentlemen sat to my left. They were flat out funny with their comments and dead on in their observations. One of the men was having the morning long stress test and his friend had come to keep him company during those long down times in between the tests. One of the gentlemen said we are going to have lunch together aren't we? The other responded, yep, the fringe benefit of getting to take you to the Dr is getting to talk with you and lunch and I'll arm wrestle you to see who pays the bill. Then he looked at his friend and said, I feel like I'm going to be a winner today. I thought how sweet. They weren't cranky about the morning and they had a good friendship and enjoyed one anothers company.


Both the women and the men I observed and heard blessed me. Sometimes the older we get the less we laugh or enjoy the good and real things of life. I do lerve me some good friend stories.