3 colors

Not on a flag or a three piece pimp suit.

Three colors on my wrist - one the tan the sweet sweet Mexican sun gifted me. Another the tender white of the underhand of my hand. The last one is splashed here and there in the form of freckles - sweet little dots of genetic pattern that make me unique.

Take this as an apology I don't know how to phrase.

My friends know that I'll go to the end of the world if they really need me to. Sometimes even to my own detriment. I'm always up for a hug, or a snuggle or a kind word or a good venting wall when you need it and I hope you know that.

The kind of friend I think I am or that I hope I am.

I'd get a phone call sometime in the next 10 years only to hear your voice for the first time in a couple months as you let me know you are now engaged. I make plans to meet up with you at once and celebrate and organize a bridal shower or a bachelor party as appropriate. I'll pick up your parents at the airport on the day off and keep you cool, calm and collected on the outside even if you feel like dying a little inside and you're not sure if that's a good thing or not.

I'd get a phone call sometime after that around the middle of the day as you tell me you're having a baby boy or girl (though I really know that you're hoping for a girl). I'd rush over - hitchhike across the country all the way to Frisco via Denver - if only to pick you up (even though I know you hate it) and give you a heartfelt congratulations.

I'd be in the hospital waiting room or in your room or holding your hand as you bring forth what I could only consider one of the luckiest kids in the world; perhaps even history.

Down the road I'd like to grab coffee with you and reminisce about the times we were young and I was stupid.

And then we'll turn 65 and wonder where the last 40 years have gone and think to ourselves that we started out in the big city and then progressively grew away from each other only in distance. I learned to consider the gap between us only in time zones and not in driving time or flying time or Amtrak time. This way I could be in Chicago and you could be in NY and the distance between us would only be an hour.

This is the friend I hope I am, hope to be and I aspire to be.

I'm sorry.