A
man name Bob
Bob goes to
our church… in fact he is the second longest
member of
the church.. 49 years, in fact.
Bob has
been very active in the church over the years.
He has
served on the board for many years.. and served on many committees over the
years. He and his wife.
Bob’s wife
passed away about 3 years ago.. And Bob started sitting in the rear of the
church against the wall, next to the door.
Easy to get in and out, as he walked with a cane. Bob is in his
mid-80’s.
One Sunday,
as we were doing the 5 minutes of meet and greet part of the service, I looked
over and Bob looked a bit lonely. So I
went over and shook his hand and told him my name. And he told me his… we talk for a minute or two and then it was
time to sit again. After the service
was over, I stopped by Bob as he stood up, and told him I would see him next
Sunday… and he replied if I am still around.
Told
Him, I was
pretty sure he would be. And I don’t
know why, but I gave him a hug… That
started a 2 year friendship.
He called
me Her Ladyship for many of months.. and I would laugh.
I found out
that Bob was a repairman.. Remember in the old days that a man would come to
your house and fix your appliance and etc.. Well, that is what Bob did. Also found out he was in the Navy. We also joked about being old. And while I was younger, but not by all that
much.
Our pastor
told us a story about 5 months ago about Bob. Seems a lady, from California, called the church, looking for Bob.. So the
secretary gave Bob her phone number. And he called back.
She wanted
to tell him, that she was thinking about him, and what he did for her. And she
wanted him to know how much that meant to her.
Seems he fix an appliance for her, and then several days later she was
at a gas station. The two of them were putting in gas, and he was talking to
her. She was having a rough time of it..
He suggested if she wanted to, she could go to his church.. that it was
a good church and maybe it would make her feel better. She decided to take him up on it.. and came
to the church the following Sunday.
She came
and went to several doings thru the months.. but then she moved away, to California. That was 20 years ago. And she wanted him to
know how much those words of kindness meant to her… See that is the kind of man that Bob is.
Now over
the year or so, Bob and I have talked and joked back and forth. And each week,
I would give him a hug good by, as I left.
One day, he told me, that those hugs made him feel good, that he did not
know why I was being so kind to him. I
told him he is a good man, and deserve hugs from others. We joke about our ages off and on.. and about
2 months ago, one of us said something about our warranty being up. And we both
laughed.. I told him, he still had a lot on his warranty yet.
Bob’s son
who lives in Colville, decided that he would
feel better if Dad was living nearer. So
after some discussion, they decided he would.
Easter Sunday was Bob’s last service he would be going to, as he is
leaving Saturday.
I have Bob
a hug.. told him I was going to miss him.
He said, do you think you will?
And I replied Oh, yes, Bob, I will. And he said.. well I will miss your
hugs and talk. So I gave one more hug..
and then another.. Told him the first one was from me telling him good bye… and
the second one was to hold him over until he got to Colville, where there will
be more people to give him his well deserved hugs…. And to remember.. he still
has a bit of more time on his warranty. We laughed.. and I said good bye,
Bob….. and behind us, was many more to bid him good bye… He surely will be
missed by a lot of people.
You know,
sometimes all it takes is a little hug, to be a big thing to someone else…
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