Phone Call

Exactly a year ago today TB arrived here for his two week visit. We have so many good memories from that time. That was when I realized just how intelligent and introspective he is. I learned a great deal about his life, which has been unbelievably different from mine, his thoughts on politics, the economy, religion, marriage, being a soldier. Generally, he tends to be a quiet man, but during those two weeks he really opened up.

Yesterday I received the "good bye" call. It isn't quite time, but yesterday was the best day for it. We talked for two hours about so many things and must have been on Yahoo Messenger for at least that long. TB shared some thoughts about his future, what he will do when he returns. I asked if he had any special instructions for me. He said he didn’t because when he was in Iraq it seemed like he would be thinking about something he would like to have and a package would arrive from me with just what he wanted. I'd forgotten about that, but obviously he hasn't. He also said he was going to send phone numbers of people for me to call if anything happens to him. We talked about that some. I reprimanded him for saying “if" he comes back. He said he was being realistic not fatalistic; there is only so much he can do. It's like when he was in Iraq and they were hit. He had been sleeping in the back of the vehicle and got up to take a picture. That's when it happened and if he hadn't moved, he would have been dead. As it was, he was injured. They lost a good man that day, TB's best friend. It's hard when your Alive Day is the day you lost your best friend. But, I see his point. A lot of it is fate and you can only do so much. All I can do is support him and pray.