The Treasure of a Friend 

             Part 2

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    Isn’t it interesting how a single, seemingly chance circumstance can affect our lives?

    I had enjoyed meeting the affable Mr. Ramsey. Apparently the thought was mutual. When I returned from work the next day, I found a note on my cabin door from my new acquaintance, inviting me to give a call.

    I did, and soon after we enjoyed a genial dinner together, with Mr. Ramsey—Vic—as host. I was introduced to his specialty—home-cooked pot roast. It was superb.

    In spite of the difference in our ages, we easily related. And although Vic got along well by himself—there had been a prospective lady friend at one point, but it never became serious—it did get lonely for him. But now, by way of a serendipitous encounter on the road, a remarkable friendship had begun to form, one that would significantly enhance both of our lives.

 

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    How does one summarize over three decades of memories? 

    Vic became more than a friend. He was like family. 

    The following summer he invited me to upgrade my standard of living, and share accommodations in his clean, comfortable, two-bedroom condo. He helped me get a job in the factory where he worked, as I continued to lifeguard on weekends. Weekdays we commuted to work together, and during our lunch breaks frequently retreated to his car to rest, eat our sandwiches, and listen to Paul Harvey on the radio. 

    Vic’s longtime coworkers and former lunch mates observed this curious revision to his bachelor routine, and as the summer progressed, one finally asked him, pointblank and good-naturedly, “What is he, your illegitimate son?”

    The query became for us a lifelong source of humor.

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          Part 3.

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