"I myself shall see, and my eyes behold him
who is my friend and not a stranger."
The Book of Common Prayer
Back from vacation and I can't think of anything to blog about except our friend Charlie. On my way back into town last Friday, I stopped by the Columbus Hospice House where Charlie had been shipped. The staff were incredibly sensitive, as they had to break the news he'd died about three hours before. Though sad, I was grateful to have had good visit with him last Sunday, with Michael and another friend. He was lucid and funny and we watched a football game on his GI-normous TV in his apartment. A few days later, he went back to Hospice.
On Friday, I wrote a news obit about him for the paper.
Today was his funeral. The main pieces of his life were well-represented: The AA community, Army (and Vietnam) buddies, his church, football and golfing friends. When I grow up, I want to be like him. It might be a cliche but I do. Charlie, sober for about 40 years, had no pretense. You truly got what you saw. He helped untold numbers of people get and stay sober. He made amends.
"How are you doing, Charlie?"
He'd always say: "Better than I deserve."
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