In Remembrance of Old Friends

By: Crystal Luna

While eating breakfast, I rummaged through the newspaper as I do most Sunday mornings. I looked
for an article that my mother asked me to read. Her voicemail message was unclear, since her voice was
fractured throughout it. Finally, I found the article.
Abram Lev, age 76, laid in his hospital bed stricken with illness. His glazed eyes appeared
unresponsive to the world around him. The sound of his breath was the only evidence of his life
sustaining. Family, unable to speak or to reconcile with him, requested Frank Roxin, whom had also
been hospitalized for some time, be moved into his room. With Franks approval, they rolled in his bed.
Abram slowly began to turn his head. Abram look at his age old friend whom he had not seen in over 30
years, and saw a brother. They shared a smile together. A single tear rolled down his Abrams face. His
breathing ceased. Abram passed on, and so did Frank later that night.
I looked away from the paper. It was disheartening story to hear of my great uncle. As I sat to reflect
on his death, I realized that I in my young adulthood I had already severed the bonds I once had with
longtime friends. I no longer experience such a relationship, and by the time I reach old age those
friends will only be stories of faded memories. A reminder of what I let slip past me, and no more than a
faint, cold chill in my old age.
I always thought it was normal for everyone to move away and start a new when reaching adulthood,
but not everyone moved away. Most of my family remained together, and many of my friends as well. I
was not one of them. I see groups of middle aged friends whod all grown up together still hanging out,
knowing I will not have that experience.
Time is a funny thing and loneliness even still. You can be surrounded by good people and still feel
alone when there is no real connection, no real time spent, no real feelings shared. New friends do not,
cannot know and understand my lifes transformations in such a way that they could become more than
good acquaintances. And old friend no longer know me. My only reconciliation is that I will be existent
in the faded memories of the true friends Ive known. And well I suppose, that will have to be good
enough for me.