Monday, February 6, 2012

"Well I've Done It Again"



Several years ago an old gentleman passed through by way of the telephone and a beautiful friendship grew.

The first time he called he'd dialed the number wrong. I could tell he was an older gentleman by his soft, spoken tone.

"I was trying to call my friend" he said, but I dialed you instead. I probably dialed one number wrong can't keep nothing straight in my head.

I told him that was ok and we talked for quite a while. When I hung up the phone there was joy in my heart and on my face a big smile.

A week or so passed before he called again. I knew who it was when I heard his voice and he said "Well I've done it again".

We talked quite a bit and he told me about his wife, a lot about his family and he said "I've lived ninety-six years and been blessed with a good life."

Then he went on to say, his wife had died several years before and he lived by himself and things weren't the same anymore.

He told me they'd been married for over fifty years and the more he talked the more I wiped away the tears.

The he said he needed to call his friend and he was sorry to have bothered me. I told him it was no bother at all., to call anytime and always feel free.

Quite a bit of time passed and I got worried about my friend, when out of the blue the phone rung and I heard those famous words, "Well I've done it again".

I tried to hold back my excitement and asked him how he'd been. He said he hadn't been doing to good and been staying with some of his kin.

"But I got tired of that ", he said "there's no place like home". "I needed to check on my friends, I've been gone to long".

"And I missed my church family and singing in the choir, I don't like letting the Lord down he's always been there".

"Through thick and thin we can always count on him, I don't know how people make it, hiding their light under a bushel and letting it grow dim".

Then he asked me how my garden was doing, I told him it was growing fine and maybe some evening we could come and get it about suppertime.

"That sounds good " he said "I'll take you up on it someday, I don't do much cooking anymore, I wind up throwing a lot away".

Then he said ",I better go and try to get a hold of my friend, he's probably worried about me to and wondering where I've been".

I hung up the phone and for some reason my heart laid heavy that day, but I went on about my business and pushed it away.

Then a strange thing happened, the most strange I've ever known, my brother knew him and he came in one morning and told me that Mr. Wade had passed on.

You could have knocked me over with a feather and my heart was broken inside. I could not for the life of me believe that Mr. Wade had died.

I walked the floor all morning, my tears continued to flow, my old friend was gone, no more phone calls would I know.

I was talking to God and thanking him for my good friend when the phone rung at ten o'clock that morning and I heard the words "Well I've done it again".

I was flabergasted and didn't know what to say, he said it instead "It sure is a pretty spring day".

I finally stopped trembling and asked him what was on my mind, "I heard someone passed away that lives close to you", I wanted it to sound kind.

He told me that was one of his neighbors that lived down the road and  the old feller had been sick for a while and then Mr's Wade's tears overflowed.

He said , "that could have easily been me you know, but when the Lord gets ready to call me home I'm ready to go".

We talked for a while and a lot of things we did share.That was a very special phone call from heaven and God answering a prayer.

After that the phone calls kept coming, wrong numbers and all and those wrong numbers were blessings from God , not small.

But all good things must come to an end, I got really worried and started calling, I figured he was staying with his kin.

But the Lord sent me an answer in his own special way, in the form of a newspaper that came one day.

I opened it up and was looking through when I came to the obituaries and there was Mr. Wade in plain view.

They'd even put a picture for me to see but I couldn't look at it much for the tears were flowing constantly.

My heart was broken, this time my friend was really gone. No more wrong numbers would I receive, and somehow I had to carry on.

Now each day I sit here waiting for the phone to ring, knowing fully well in heaven's angel choir, Mr. Wade loves to sing.

And he and his wife are walking hand and hand in that glorious place he called the promised land.

Those wonderful, cherished words "Well I've done it again" will sustain me through the ages---all truths to transcend. Friendship has no barriers---Love has no end..
      
                                        Susie Swanson, 2012

In Memory of my Beloved Friend Mr. Wade Bryant.....1909--2005



                                     

40 comments:

  1. Very touching, Susie.

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  2. Now you've got me crying....
    That was so precious! I can just imagine the joy that talking to you brought the sweet man, then again I know it was a joy for you talking to him too.

    Tracy

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    1. Thank you Tracy, it was a lot of joy and I miss him and think of him often..

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  3. What a touching and sweet story, Susie. I'm sure those calls meant a lot to him as well as to you.

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  4. Oh My Heart, Susie. This one made me cry. The main reason is that it reminded me of my sweet father-in-law who is 99 (be 100 in August). He lost his wife of 71 years last June --and has been so terribly lonely since her death... I cry when I see him.

    Glad you got to find out who your telephone friend was. So sorry that he died. BUT--like you said, he is with his wife now and I'm sure he's much happier.

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. Thank you so much Betsy, I would love to mee your father in law..I've always had a special place in my heart for older people.. they are so humble and wise.. They really do grieve for their spouse.. my dad only lived four months after my mom died..he was 94...

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  5. What a beautiful story, Susie! God blessed you with a good friend, and you'll finally get to meet him someday. Bless you.

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    1. That he did George and I'll never forget him..Thank you ..

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  6. Very, very touching, Susie! And just think how much it meant to him for you to talk with him, when you could have just frowned and hung up. You were a blessing to him too!

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    1. Awww, thank you so much.. I would like to think that I was.. I know he was a wonderful blessing to me..

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  7. Very nice story. You have some very beautiful photos on the right-hand column of your blog.

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  8. This really touched me! Thank you for sharing it.

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    1. Thank you so much for reading it and the kind words and visit..

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  9. Thanks for sharing. Very touching.

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  10. Wow, that one got me. I'm still wiping the tears. I have an elderly friend with a Leader Dog that I don't call nearly enough. I do believe I will be calling him today.

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    1. Thank you so much for the sweet words and visit.. She will be a blessing, I just know it..Blessings come in many ways..thanks for the visit..

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  11. This one really pulled at my heart strings susie-thank you for sharing the story-and I'm sorry for your loss.

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    1. Thank you Tipper, it was hard for me to write too, but I felt a sense of pride and honor to be able to do it.. He was very special..

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  12. That brought tears to my eyes. My father passed away a year ago at 99 years old. Thanks!

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    1. I'm so sorry for your loss.. I know the hurt you are experiencing.. Mine has been gone 14 years this April..he died at the age of 94..Thank you so much and God Bless You..

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  13. A beautiful story Susie, made me cry. My Dad passed away a year and a half ago, when Dad passed it was 6 days shy of Mom and Dads 70th wedding anaversery. I miss my phone call each and every early morning saying sis are you on your way, moms starting breakfast, hope your hungry.

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    1. Thank you, sorry for your loss.. We have our memories and that's what keeps us going..

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  14. Wow this one really pulled on my heart strings.

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  15. The song in the background of your blog is beautiful and so is your writing. As soon as I figure out how, I will start following. I am technologically challenged, well kind of.
    This entry is very touching indeed. Sorry for the loss of youe friend. May he rest in Peace.

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  16. Thank you Munir, I don't know much myself.. I will be glad to have you..

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  17. Susie~ this was the most wonderful post I think you've ever written! :)
    It reminded me of the scripture my Mother used to quote from the Bible about "entertaining angels unaware"... thanks so much for taking the time to write down this beautiful story!

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    1. Thank you Paula, glad you enjoyed it. My hubby and I were talking about that when I posted it..

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  18. Mr. Wade sounded wonderful. I feel close to tears myself.

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    1. Oh he was a very wonderful and humble man..Thank you..

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  19. What a sad, yet wonderful, story! That was a special friendship with a special man.

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  20. Hi Susie, this is one of the most uplifting and tender stories of friendship I have ever read. I had a special friend like that named Mr. Davis who was so very dear to me. I am sorry to hear that you have been sick again, you have had more than your fair share of colds and sore throats this year! I haven't been feeling well myself and have a very swollen neck and throat. I hope that you get some rest this weekend and feel better real soon! Thank you for your beautiful story. Delisa :)

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  21. Thank you Delisa, Glad you enjoyed it.I bet Mr. Davis was a very special man like Mr. Wade..So sorr to hear you've been sick, you've had your fair share to, hope you feel better and May God Bless..

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