A Memory

[Beowolff]

A Memory of Me Truest Friend
(Memories/fantasies of Scotland and a dirge/tribute to Bugsy Malone—my truest friend)
Lynn Bullman


Aye.

Aye, with me back to the bright greenness of me beloved dales, I stood upon yon high and rocky crag and glanced down and into the terrible, wild and roaring, deep blue sea. I saw the evening’s waning glint cast upon the frothy, white-tipped waves below, I saw the smudge of a ship’s tall and stout mast so far away and small upon the horizon’s distant and infinite highway. I heard Poseidon’s drummer—he ne’er missed a beat—and I heard the sweet pipes of gentle Wind as she played me a fair and lonesome dirge. And I missed you, dearest friend. Most of all, I missed you, me gentle and dearest friend.

Aye.

Oh, fash—what times we had, eh? Back in the rough and ready days? Remember? You and me? Just you and me. Our young arses was always to the walls and our guards was always up and ready, just a wearing our kindred plaids proud with our heads held high and not afraid of nothing or no one. Wild as bucks we was back then, aye, but eventually we mellowed. And a good thing, I suppose. A good thing for the rest of the world, at least. For what was the small earth to the likes of us giants? What was anything when we had each other to count on? Together we could have climbed any peak, swam any sea, walked through any fire, wrestled with and licked any foe. And so oft we did all of that and more—back in those days. Aye, we was a pair then, right enough. A real, true pair.

Aye.

I won’t lie and say it’s been easy since you had to go on—it hasn’t—for we was twins of the soul, as close as any identical brothers of the flesh—not blood brothers maybe—sure and even closer than that, I reckon—and the parting has been damnable hard for me. I confessed all that to the sea that eve—then and there on that rocky crag—for I would not allow the sour breath of even a wee, white lie to mar Wind’s sweet, mournful tune of remembrance. Her notes was purest perfection, you see. She was a playing me memories so well, her pipes in high form as I stood there in me deep and broody thoughts of you. So when I finally did speak aloud, I confessed only to the truth of the matter; of how every day it gets harder for me to rise, harder for me to eat and drink, harder for me to walk about and take care of me daily chores and duties, and at night—it being harder for me to fall asleep. And when, exhausted, I finally manage to nod off into the nether region of loud snoring and heavy dreaming, of how I cast about only for those old and well-worn pathways that lead me back to your side, oh bravest companion—oh, truest friend.

Aye. Aye.

That evening and there by that ancient sea, I held a thumb up towards the far orb, and with it blotted out ole Sol’s red and majestic brilliance as he slowly sank beneath Poseidon’s tall, greying waves to the other side of the world, and as the deep shadows and cool darkness of Mother Night’s comforting arms crept across the dales behind me—to the water in front of me—and even upon the very crag that I stood upon, and then I felt you near. In that mysterious and magical half-light, and in me weary and lonesome mind, you gathered close about and re-took your form as in olden days—and finally saw fit to proudly stand there beside me. Just you and me there upon that high rock. We did not speak—no—for there was no need, being satisfied with only our kindred spirits hip to hip and shoulder to shoulder. Aye, and just that closeness of souls was way better than any spoken words could ever hope to be. And I would have asked you to stay a while, to visit longer, but quick enough the new dawn broke upon the horizon and it was time for you to return to your home and so with a friendly grin and fare-the-well nod, you did. I felt you fly away then, there upon the last of Mother’s slim shadows. And as I wiped something from out of me old eyes—a heavy, morning dew or mist perhaps—I thought to me-self, God speed you good friend. God speed you along the way to your distant keep, me dearest, good friend.

Aye.

And then it was time for me to return to my own hearth. And so I turned and left the sea and the rocks, but strangely the path home was even harder to walk that time, and though the air somehow felt brisker and smelled sweeter, the old trail I trod just seemed longer and more lonesome than it ever had before. Aye—and damn that morning mist anyways! Fash—and it somehow kept falling from the sky and straight into me old, tired eyes! Why I could hardly find me way ‘cause of it!

Aye.

Aye, so now I impatiently await me next trip—when with me back to the bright greenness of me beloved dales, I’ll stand upon yon high and rocky crag and glance down and into the terrible, wild and roaring, deep blue sea. When once again I’ll see the evening’s waning glint cast upon the frothy, white-tipped waves below, when I’ll see the smudge of a ship’s tall and stout mast so far away and small upon the horizon’s distant and infinite highway. When I’ll hear Poseidon’s drummer—for he ne’er misses a beat—and the sweet pipes of gentle Wind as she plays me a fair and lonesome dirge. And until then, I’ll miss you, dearest friend. Most of all, I’ll miss you, me gentle and dearest friend. Until then. Until then.

Aye. Aye.

Until then, all and everything is but a memory of you—me truest friend.

Aye.




Bugsy Malone Bullman June 1992~October 2006

Gone But Not Forgotten

[AltarBoy]

Nice looking doggie, m8! Really Man's Best Friend!

[Nightcat]

[:FI:WillieOFS]

It REALLY sucks when they leave.

I've got a new buddy. He's fun, cute, smart, and hard headed. He's pretty much everything a Corgi should be.

I'm doing my best to let him be judged for being himself. It's hard on my part, I still miss my old buddy. My new dog "Bo" has some big boots to fill. Maybe I should cut my measuring stick.

My old buddy "Rounder" was without a doubt, the best dog that ever owned me. He checked out November a year ago. I still step over the spot by my bed where he used to sleep when I get up at night.

Bo-Bo will make the cut, Rounder was with me for 15 years. Bo-Bo has lots of time yet.

But I damn sure miss my old buddy.

My Sweety and my old buddy.

[AltarBoy]

Another nice doggie, laser beam eyes and all!

[:FI:Scott]

I had a Labrador. Big, stupid and not very fond of the Wife. People used to say we had a lot in common.

It was 1998 when he went an I still miss him. You can relax with a dog in a way you just can't with another person