A good friend gone

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beachlion
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Location: 65 year The Hague, The Netherlands, then Allentown, PA, USA

A good friend gone

Post by beachlion »

A good friend since my youth lived in the south of France. He lived in the house of the deceased parents of his wife. He had plans to build a new house on the plot, with a big swimming pool. Yesterday I tried to see if there was already showing something on Google Earth. To get his street address, I Googled his name but beside his address, I also found disturbing texts in French. My French is not that good so I went deeper into it. After some digging, I found an short obituary, stating the friend had died on December 7, 2017. I was really shocked.

We lived in neighboring houses in The Hague, in a typical street with row homes. From the age of 10 until 25, we did a lot together, the normal mischief as kids and later camping, even camped in Spain. He moved to France for his work and I visited him in Paris when I was on my trips to the south of France. He married a French woman he met in Marseille when he was working there. Later he moved back to the region of Paris where he became CEO of the company where he started as the mail boy.

For 20 years, we did not see each other but around 2000, when I was on vacation with my partner, we ran into each other. And don't say coincidence does not exists. My partner and I where in Perpignan (south of France, close to Spain), looking for a big department store, La Fayette. The partner was ahead of me when I heard somebody calling my name. It was an attractive woman across the street. Walking towards her, I recognized her as the wife of my friend. In the middle of the street we embraced and kissed in the usual French way. My partner saw this and being Italian, she came down on us with murder on her face. I explained everything and we went to a restaurant for lunch. My friend's wife was to meet my friend there for lunch. When the friend arrived, he was very surprised of course.

This was the sort of friendship where time and distance is never in the way of the connection. We went through a lot and even as we were opposite personalities, our friendship went very deep because of our shared history.

When I married in the USA, I sent him a letter with the news and he gave me his email address in his return letter. A few times we exchanged mails but his computer skills were terrible.

His wife has a FaceBook account but it seems to be not very active. I hope to have some communication with her and I hope Google Translate can assist me.
All progress takes place outside the comfort zone - M J Bobak
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crfriend
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Re: A good friend gone

Post by crfriend »

I am saddened to hear the news. Revelations like that are always hard.

It's astonishing how little time really means to the best of friendships, and it's the best ones that can be resumed at the drop of a hat following years apart. Drifting apart is a part of life, but it's magic when a reconnection happens.

Cherish the good times!
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weeladdie18
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Re: A good friend gone

Post by weeladdie18 »

Sorry to hear the sad news ...Old friends are always a part of ones old life ....

It is always a shock when their life is taken away from ones past....life goes on and we must

face our new adventures and make new friends.

Life is always hard for those who are left to grieve...... weeladdie
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moonshadow
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Re: A good friend gone

Post by moonshadow »

Sorry for your loss, it is a touching story.
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skirtedbrit
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Re: A good friend gone

Post by skirtedbrit »

Carl's point of taking up after years apart happened to me recently. I was with friends and met my old caving and mountain rescue buddy. Hours later we parted and the following day our jaws were still aching from laughter!
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