I would like to dedicate today’s post to a little old man that I love. His name is Nick, and he works in our office. He has been here since the dinosaurs, or at least that is what I think. He is 88 years old, and has lived a long and full life. He refuses to stop working and driving. He goes to more funerals in a year than most of us have gone to in our entire lives. He has many friends that he has watched pass, and it makes him sad. He takes care of his long time friend who’s memory is slipping, and worries about him as if he is his own child, despite being only 2 years older than him. He truly misses his wife that passed away many years ago.
He is devoted to his church, and taking care of his lawn. If there is something sweet to eat in the kitchen, you can rest assured that Nick will find it. He can’t hear well and when you go in for a hug his hearing aids beep, and he will tell you “Oh! You rang my bell!” He is kind, and funny. He adores animals of any kind, even my fish Harbor. He is always quick with a joke and can take one with good humor. I thoroughly enjoy his company, and stories. At Christmas time, he was sad because he missed his wife most of all that time of year. He was so happy to see us put up a tree in the office, and told me that when he was a boy, they used to have candles on the tree, and it was a wonder the house never burnt down. He can still remember the first year that they had electric lights on the tree. I loved hearing about it.
He can tell me any old story and I would listen. He sits down to visit with me whenever he needs a break. I don’t mind not working if he needs my company. He is worth getting behind for. He is a grandpa figure, and I sorely miss my grandpa. He smiles all the time, and shuffles his feet when he walks. You can hear him coming a mile away. He calls me April May June, and notices when I have colored my hair. He hates when someone parks in his spot at the office, and it has become a running joke. He actually waited once in his huge old car in the middle of the road for 10 minutes while we made this carrier rep move from his spot.
This morning, he slipped away peacefully. He went to his wife, and all of his friends and family that have gone before him. He knew it was going to happen soon, and I knew it too. But we didn’t talk about those things. It was inevitable. I will miss my little old man and his daily phone calls to let me know he would be late coming to the office, and our chats when he stopped by my desk. He was a bright spot in my day. I am happy that I got to know him as long as I did, and maybe someday, if I make it to that big insurance office in the sky, he and I will get to chat again. Rest in peace Nick.
No comments:
Post a Comment