Saturday, December 16, 2023
I first met Ray in 1951, at the school in the small rural town of Norton, NB.
Although he was 3 years older than I, he would become the first of “the best people I ever knew”.
We lost contact when Ray was deployed to Germany in 1955 and did not re-connect until about 2009.
I wrote at that time; “I am happy to report that the boy I used to know was still there, deep inside this man, who was setting across the breakfast table in the restaurant, as we tried to fill in the space that more than 50 years creates and realizing that most of the changes in us was; we were just housed in bodies that complain a bit more.
If I closed my eyes his voice was the same.
We were both army veterans, still active in life and engaged in veteran organizations.
Ray still had an electric smile and the most welcoming hug. Jean, Ray’s wife has beautiful eyes and a take charge manner… there was no mistaking she had been a military wife. Short shrift was made of personal changes, significant milestones, setbacks and separations. We concentrated on the loveliness of the moments we were sharing.
Selfishly the writer in me had hoped to get a better grasp on who I was, oh so long ago. What impression had I left on him? After a few minutes of sitting opposite the young face of my memories, I realized we store our youth within us. If we’re lucky enough to find a path back to the past, it is up to us to find ourselves in it.”
Farewell, my great friend and I will miss you terribly until we meet again in a place where “Old Soldiers” go to spin our yarns.
