Fare thee well my neighbor.

[oneighty]

Michael has lived there next door for the past twenty years. He is much younger than I. Some years ago he had a devastating heart attack and was fitted with a pacemaker/defibrillator. With lack of meaningfull exercise and no loving person to cook for him Mike gained considerable weight.

I watched him leave yesterday. The moving van had already emptied his home of his possessions. He was dressed in black sweats. His worn slippers laid over to the side of his feet as he shuffled down the driveway unsteady and with one of his adult boys providing support.

In his arms he carried his big old fat black cat. He got into his ratty old pickup truck and drove away.

Michael, I hope your remaining time on earth is better than the last few years was.

180

[JitterbugPerfume]

1. hard to say

how many friends and neighbors live lives of "quiet desperation"

[Skittles]

3. I had a talk with my Tombo about this

he thinks everyone is happier than him; I told him you really cannot know on the surface what the lives of people are really all about.

[oneighty]

4. Yes Skittles.

Michael has a big old fat black cat; perhaps the ony creature on earth to love and to love him. Tombo has you. Tombo should be very happy I think. I know I would be. (((((((((((hug))))))))))

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[Skittles]

9. I'm at the farm right now

and by the way, Tom also has Skittles the 26 pound solid black feline bundle of love. I got Skittles when I lived in town; Tom and I split the cost of 880 bucks to fix Skittles' leg (dislocated so badly the bone was showing) and getting him fixed, etc. First SKittles lived with me but then when we lived at the farm SKittles became a farm cat and stayed when I moved back into town.

[oneighty]

11. Lucky Tom!

Has two Skittles to love!

180

[Skittles]

2. it's sad the way people come in and then out of our lives

with such frequency; I'm glad this one was able to stick around a bit.

[Malva Zebrina]

5. Yes, we never do know the private lives people have

or their private desperations.

We may know their joys, because they might be more inclined to tell us that.

We can not make judgements because of that lack of knowledge of anyone's private, unsaid fears or angst or suffering.

We can only guess.

The post speaks of a great capacity to love while not understanding the circumstances of the loss.

[Rowdyboy]

6. I sit here, comfortable in my little world, surrounded by

wonderful people. My neighbors to the east are a retired couple who keep our dog during the day (its a long story). He replumbed our house for free. She brings food regularly. To the west our neighbors are middle-aged garden people who are friendly but keep to themselves. To our rear, we have an elderly widow who an artist, a young married couple, and a another middle aged couple who are great friends of ours.

I count myself most blessed among men to be surrounded by so many good people. As a gay man with a partner in a conservative southern community I live remarkably free of intolerance or even open dislike.

[JitterbugPerfume]

7. Hi Rowdy Boy

I am glad you do not face the intolerance so often visited upon our Gay and Lesbian brothes and sisters

[Rowdyboy]

8. There are benefits to being older and settled

hard as that is for me to accept sometimes. I guess, mostly, we just blend in. Apparently, no one cares too much what goes on in our bedroom (thak God!) as long as we keep the house maintained and the yard mowed...

[KoKo]

10. Well, Rowdy, you said more than you may realize in your post....

as long as you "keep the house maintained and the yard mowed..."yep...that says alot. In my area of NC...that's about all anyone cares about.

Good for you that you found that where you are, but it's more "interactive" than my bleak portrayal.. :-)'s