The Boy Across the Street

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We had a wonderful visit with Tom in our hometown. He grew up in the house across the street, so very handy for good friends. I knew he and brother Bob were the same age, but I didn’t realize until Beth mentioned it that they were born only three days apart! The fellows were in and out of each other’s houses all their growing up years. Being two years younger, I was with them occasionally, not daily.

We were sorry Tom’s wife Judy was out of town. She prepared snacks for us that were scrumptious, and we helped ourselves generously. I wish I had taken a photo of the outlay. Her Brownies were the best I’ve ever tasted.

As older people do, we compared notes on aging. It was a catching up, not a complaint session. I didn’t think about it until later, but we did not dwell on the past. Beth would have listened willingly if we recounted events of long ago, but we stayed in the present. If there had been a lull in the conversation, I might have asked about others in our age group who stayed or returned to our town. There wasn’t time!

I was looking for some photos this morning and came across this one of Tom, taken approximately 66 years ago! I don’t know when or where I got it, nor where it has been all this time. I must have scanned it years ago.

All of us have lived rich, full lives. Without asking, I can confidently say we are grateful to God for the opportunities that we were given and the people who helped make us who we are today. All glory to God!

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Published by Anne Mehrling

I'm a retiree who loves to write about life in the mountains of North Carolina.

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20 thoughts on “The Boy Across the Street”

  3. My best friend lived two doors down from us, she was part of an abusive family and when she grew up became a foster mother and one of the children she fostered ended up being my husband’s youngest brother John who had many mental and physical health issues.

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  4. It’s so wonderful to reconnect. My bestie from high school died over 10 years ago. Many of my neighborhood contemporaries have also passed. I didn’t have a best friend in my neighborhood. I was a little nerdy preferring to read books than most anything but I found “my tribe” in high school.

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  5. How wonderful to catch up with an old friend. There is never quite enough time for these visits. So cool that you had the picture from all those years ago. xo

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  7. How nice to rekindle friendships from so many years, even decades ago! Looking at Tom’s photo from 66 years ago, which maybe was a graduation photo, I don’t think he looks all that different. In fact, in my opinion, your brother Bob and Tom look similar, with the exception of the hairline.

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        1. They didn’t look similar to me, but I may have been too close to them I’ve heard it said that people who spend a lot of time together begin to resemble each other. Folks often called my friend Sue by my name, and they called me Sue. They weren’t people who knew us well, though.

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  9. Very Post, you remembering my school life & my classmate! Your brother Bob and Tom look similar, with the exception of the hairline.

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