Another voice falls silent…

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

The day after Thanksgiving I received a phone call from one of my friends. At the time my wife and I were traveling, we were on our way to spend a week with some old friends. The phone call was from another friend who called to inquire about my upcoming surgery, happening tomorrow. I could hear something in his voice, so I asked; how are you doing? He was on speakerphone in the truck, when he tells me that he had just been diagnosed with cancer. At this point my wife and I are both trying to be very reassuring to him, asking him to keep us informed, etc. 
 

He has been a very “long time friend”, someone I had introduced decades ago to the Church, and had baptized. He really didn’t have a lot of family, so I told my wife (after hanging up) “well honey, we have some work and service to lend”. At this point we continued on to our cabin. When we arrived home a week later, I received a message from another friend, “Warren is in hospice, the cancer went into his brain”. So, I called Warren’s daughter, hoping I could speak to him, see him, whatever? She did not want visitors, fearing that anyone exposed to COVID-19, could kill him. She arranged for me to speak to him on speaker phone, so my last conversation with him was in broken sentences, and me reassuring him that he didn’t have to talk, as I assured him that I love him. Then in a couple of days he was gone! 
 

You know, before the accident that disabled me, and forced me into early retirement, my life was “SO BIG”, with a big circle of friends and colleagues, or so I thought. However over the last decade, that life has become so much smaller, with fewer and fewer friends. However, during that long decade, one voice was never too busy to pick up the phone and call me. Nor was he too busy to come by and take me to lunch and catch up. He called he the day after Thanksgiving, than he was gone December 19th. I have lost so many in the last year, but this was one very important loss. 
 

Another voice falls silent… 

[Tacenda]

1 hour ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

The day after Thanksgiving I received a phone call from one of my friends. At the time my wife and I were traveling, we were on our way to spend a week with some old friends. The phone call was from another friend who called to inquire about my upcoming surgery, happening tomorrow. I could hear something in his voice, so I asked; how are you doing? He was on speakerphone in the truck, when he tells me that he had just been diagnosed with cancer. At this point my wife and I are both trying to be very reassuring to him, asking him to keep us informed, etc. 
 

He has been a very “long time friend”, someone I had introduced decades ago to the Church, and had baptized. He really didn’t have a lot of family, so I told my wife (after hanging up) “well honey, we have some work and service to lend”. At this point we continued on to our cabin. When we arrived home a week later, I received a message from another friend, “Warren is in hospice, the cancer went into his brain”. So, I called Warren’s daughter, hoping I could speak to him, see him, whatever? She did not want visitors, fearing that anyone exposed to COVID-19, could kill him. She arranged for me to speak to him on speaker phone, so my last conversation with him was in broken sentences, and me reassuring him that he didn’t have to talk, as I assured him that I love him. Then in a couple of days he was gone! 
 

You know, before the accident that disabled me, and forced me into early retirement, my life was “SO BIG”, with a big circle of friends and colleagues, or so I thought. However over the last decade, that life has become so much smaller, with fewer and fewer friends. However, during that long decade, one voice was never too busy to pick up the phone and call me. Nor was he too busy to come by and take me to lunch and catch up. He called he the day after Thanksgiving, than he was gone December 19th. I have lost so many in the last year, but this was one very important loss. 
 

Another voice falls silent… 

Too sad. 😢

Edited December 27, 2021 by Tacenda

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

4 hours ago, Tacenda said:

Too sad. 😢

It is, his daughter did not want to upset Christmas, so she buried him and will have a memorial after the 1th of the year. 

[Orthodox Christian]

Sir, I don't know you, nor you me, but you seem to have had a traumatic time this last year, I will pray for you, if that is OK, I am very sorry for your loss. 

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

22 minutes ago, Orthodox Christian said:

Sir, I don't know you, nor you me, but you seem to have had a traumatic time this last year, I will pray for you, if that is OK, I am very sorry for your loss. 

By all means…Thank You.