​To my friend…

I lost a friend today. It feels odd to write this and it felt odder to say it out loud to a colleague at work. But today, I lost a friend.

The friend probably didn’t regard me as such but they knew I meant comfort, warmth, friendliness and food. They came by every few days or every few weeks or every few months. It didn’t matter how long had passed, I knew him and he knew me. We remembered each other.

I would think about him out of the blue, realising I hadn’t had the joy of stroking his wiry, matted fur or giving him some treats when he came politely begging at my doorstep. And as if he’d had the same thoughts, that day, without fail, he’d be there to say, “Hello. It’s been a short while but I hope I’m still welcome?” And I would reply, “Of course.”

It’ll be a long while before I see him again now. But I’ll remember him still. And I hope he’ll remember me too.