Got into town at 7:15 AM, ready for my super-productive day. Energized, upbeat, focused. Saw a friend drinking coffee on a bench on Main Street and stopped to talk. “How are you?,” I asked. “I never know how to answer,” he said. “Yeah, I know, me too,” I said. He asked, “Do you want the straight shot or the friendly response?” “The straight shot,” I said.
Cancer, bad. Got the news Monday night. I knew he had been something of a walking miracle having beaten it back a few years ago. But it’s back and the prognosis is not good. So we talked for an hour, a really good talk, a valuable hour of connection, and now here I am in the hot office, thinking about life and living, death and dying, and trying to work back around to the clients.
I wouldn’t have given that hour up for anything, but man, the best-laid plans…. And, to reiterate, cancer really, really, sucks.
August 2, 2006