Change

Was I a freshman or a sophomore?
Just which now it isn't clear.
But I'm sure the guy I'm writing of
was in his senior year.

Captain of the football team, monitor in the hall,
president of the senior class, a big man known by all.
As for me, I was a no one. Fitting in was not my thing.
Just another faceless, nameless kid to herd before the bell would ring.

Yes, I was just a no one, but how important he was then.
It's strange... I would have never dreamed our paths would ever cross again.

But my junior year in college, much to my surprise,
he sat there in geology, no recognition in his eyes.
No, he didn't know me, but he overheard me say
that I was from our hometown so he spoke to me that day.

We introduced ourselves in turn. We looked each other in the eye.
He said, "I don't remember you."
"Oh well," was my reply.

In lab he sat all by himself, not knowing anyone.
I said, "Come on and join us." He seemed quite pleased to come.
We saw each other daily, and by semester's end
we grew to like each other. He came to be... my friend.

I pictured how it was back then, how time produced such change.
How different it had made two lives.
How weird, how neat, how strange...


c 1997 B Philp