they've not all been crazy stalkers i found myself staring at the keypad of the phone trying to pry the correct combination from the recesses of my mind. after several seconds i gave in and retrieved it from my address book. once located the numbers dialed easily. two complete rings and a familiar voice (FV) answered.

FV: 'tech support'

chewy: 'so, when a post trashing everything tech support appears on my blog, you won't take that personally. Right?'

FV: 'of course not.' his voice meshing a touch of sarcasm with his obvious amusement in that way i've come to adore so much.

chewy: 'great. cause you know it's not directed towards you. i'm sure you're worth your salt as a tech support person.'

FV: 'of course.' again with the sarcasm not so much of the amusement.

chewy: 'how's things?'

FV: 'i've been sick actually. missed two days of work. that never happens.'

chewy: 'Holy Crap!' insert as much sarcasm as allowed by massachusetts' state law. you're free to toss as much of it around as you like here in hell...um...i mean arkansas. 'you should really call me the next time that happens. someone might need to plan your funeral and god knows i've got plenty of free time.'

FV: 'that's pretty morbid.'

chewy: 'yeah, i guess. it's not like i'm looking forward to it or anything.'

FV: 'i would hope not.... don't you worry. i plan on living to a nice ripe old age....'

chewy: 'oh yeah...and die on my couch. i remember now.'

FV: 'that's right and die on your couch.'

**due to lapses in memory and the cramp that's developing in my hand form actually having to write, this conversation has been edited. however, i think i covered most of the crucial points or at least enough to say what i'm writing this to say and still keep myself off FV's censored list.

i've run across few people in my life that i could talk to for more than twenty minutes and my eyes not glaze over. of those few there are even less that i care to talk to more than once a week. FV is one of the few of the few. in fact, there was a point when i received daily lunch time phone calls and was guaranteed a slurred middle of the night conversation with Mumbley McDrunky at least once a month. those were always the best.

sadly, life's change and friendships must adapt accordingly. i'm grateful that ours hasn't vanished altogether and he still says crazy things like he's going to die on my couch. while we both know it'll probably not work out quite that way, it's charming (almost enchantingly so) when someone makes plans to include you that far into their life.

there have been plenty (read: more than my fair share) of creeps, bad seeds, and freakazoids that have crossed my path in the last 28 years. i wouldn't trade it though. it makes me appreciate the friends i've stumbled across along the way and it was a very lucky day when that strange guy with a slight staring problem finally said more than "leaving already?"...a very lucky day indeed.


  ¶ 3:31 PM