Two Boise girlfriends were up this weekend and we had one of our wonderful five hour sit in your pjs, talk and drink coffee mornings. Sharing life, spiritual growth and confusion and clarity and current experiences of reality, love and pain, hopes and dreams.
At some point I shared there was an elderly gentleman I had seen walking, shuffling, energetically on the Sun Valley Fairway Road where I drove to the Proctor Mt. trailhead at the end culdesac. That I had seen him twice and was totally moved to tears because he so reminded of my father whom I missed terribly. That the next time I saw him I was going to follow my strong urge to pull over, engage him in conversation and ask for a badly needed hug (vicariously from my dad.)
This morning I hiked that hike and was driving back and on the phone with one of those girlfriends sharing how wonderful the weekend had been when………….there he was! I hesitated only a moment…but there was a shoulder for parking and my friend said, "oh, go…call me back."
Which I did.
He had gained on me. So I jogged after him and called, "excuse me, sir?"
He turned.
WHAT a beauty he was! In his shorts, tennies, and baseball cap (some mornings, if earlier, he donned gloves).
I shared that the Smart car was mine and that I had seen him twice before, that he totally reminded me of my dear sweet father whom I missed terribly, that I had committed to stopping the next time I saw him and ask for a hug!
He said, "well, first of all then, let's do the hug."
There we were in the road in a fabulous sustained full body hug. Both of us tearing. While hugging, he shared he hadn't been hugged like that since his wife died four years previously.
Isn't the universe magical?
Two lonesome souls missing a beloved find each other serendipitously. Miraculously.
There we were standing in the road arms around one another like long lost friends sharing how we happened to find ourselves there.
He shared first, voluntarily. His name is Jack O'Neil. He is 91. From Ohio. Runs a heavy equipment construction company and had forever. His sons now running it. Twelve years ago he and his wife Betsy bought a condo in SV because they had visited here, loved it and wanted to return and have a place for family reunions. I think there might be other children who live in New Mexico and California.
That he had had a heart value replacement and his doctor recommended walking four miles a day which he was determined to work up to. I shared that since he was walking at six thousand feet elevation, I'm sure he actually was walking four miles.
Anyway…his family had literally just left. He was alone again until his return to Ohio on Sept 2nd.
Then I shared I had lived here 20 years ago for 20 years. Had taught high school, raised my two kids here and left after a long term marriage and divorce. Taught college in Sacramento and Mt. Shasta. Then helped my dad run his helicopter business after mom had died.
That dad lived till 94. Ran the business till the day he died.
That, in fact, he had that day pushed himself from the dinner table announcing he was going to die that night.
And did.
Jack was silent a long moment as we stood still entwined, baseball cap bills touching, intently focused on one another and then said, "I am so glad you shared that story."
"He must have just been done."
We hugged again.
Jack reached for his wallet. Had also a pen (sooooooooo like my dad!) And said, "I forget names but never faces…will you write your name and phone number?" Which I did.
We hugged yet again and tearfully parted ways.
Him calling, "Until we meet again."
I called my friend back and shared briefly.
Then cried all the way home.
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