My Friend Herbie

I cannot help but want to write about Herbie, my 70+ year old Irish pen pal over in England. We met almost two years ago and after e-mailing a time or two found ourselves to be fast friends. As tends to happen over time and familiarity, we began to let our sillier sides come through. There are times he truly makes me laugh right out loud at his antics, as was the case with his letter to me yesterday. I sure hope he doesn't mind me sharing a portion of it with you all, but if you're in need of a laugh he is surely the man to provide it.

I was standing in the bus shelter when a chap came to the shelter and stood beside me. He was aged about forty or so and quite athletic looking. For a minute or two we stood in silence, I contemplating the rain and how wet I would be if I had chosen to walk. He turned to me and asked, "Do you live here?" I looked at him and replied, "Of course not. Who would want to live in a bus shelter?" He gave me a kind of peculiar look and said nothing more. The bus arrived, we got on and went into town. I went to another nearby bus shelter to wait for the Supermarket bus. Mr. athletic was there as well. Again a few minutes of silence, then, "Are you waiting for the bus?" "Not at all", said I. "I am about to make a pot of tea. Would you like a cup?" He muttered something and left the bus shelter.

Believe it or not, it only went on from there, lol. The ability to make those around us laugh does not come naturally to most, but to my friend Herbie it seems to be ingrained in every portion of his witty and brilliant mind.

It's not often we're able to publicly thank those around us for being the special people they are...unless one writes on a blog chronicling the ups and downs of one's life. Today I absolutely HAVE to thank my friend Herbie for being the utterly remarkable man he is, and for sharing such a comical and beautiful life with me. You have truly blessed my life more than you can ever know!