We met at about eight,

His dad a teacher & store owner,

His mom just a mom, but the greatest,

His sisters were all older but helped keep us straight…

His name then was Chuck or Charlie or to family, Beaver,

He and I did pal around with his cousins Terry & Mike Joe,

Army men we played, we used our imaginations,

We had TV, but rarely played inside,

On the beach we could be found, even in the dead of winter,

Our bikes were our transport, everywhere in Sea Isle did we ride…

Time moved on as it has a tendency to do,

We had much fun & stuck with each other like glue,

He grew smart & used his intelligence,

I never grew till much older I did get,

He is to this day still my friend,

And he will be till our eventual end,

His name still Chuck, but us family call him Lien,

For me to know him all these years is a situational win-win…

© ed ~ 6/12/12