I have two friends I keep in touch with, sort-of, from my childhood.

Sort of because years go by between visits or even chats, but I still consider them good friends of mine.

One of my friends, the Valedictorian of my high school class, went on to dot-com riches and lives out west with his beautiful wife and three children.

My other friend married my high school girlfriend and after that ended, badly, his second marriage didn't fare much better.

I called him today.

"Hey, J, how's it hanging? It's hugshyhermit."
"Hugshy. I'm doing ok."
"Cool. I'm going to be in town this weekend celebrating the birth of our blessed savior. Want to hang out?"
"Yeah, I'll be there too."
"What, you're not there now?"
"No--well, I was until about a week ago. I have a new job in D.C. I'm there right now."
"No way! What are you Cleveland Hopkins-ing it?"
"Uh uh, I've been driving. Six hours."
"Man, what a drag. Taking up books on tape, then?"
"I should."
"Well I got your number from when your mom called my mom."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, this will be the first time home since she's come out of the hospital. You probably know she had several strokes."
"No -- I did not know."
"Yeah. So I'm not sure how things are. I mean, everything's cool, she seems fine, and it's not like Getting Old is a surprise. But, uhm, it's just, uhm."
"Know what you mean, the same thing here. My Dad had a heart attack awhile back and he's okay now and all, but it's other Getting Old things, like with my Dad it's his back."

We make tentative plans: "I don't care, if you want to bring the kids that's fine. Or your new girlfriend, that's fine, too. I'll give you a call after I've made it home. Probably early afternoon."

(Yes, this is a lame entry. I haven't felt like writing much lately.)