I Remember Ron

(This is response to a Max prompt)

Sitting in his chair
in the nursing home,
crutches parked by his side
silver hair
twinkly blue eyes
kind and a little sarcastic
I was charmed.
He drew me into him
because he listened
like me.
I listen mostly.
Few people care what I have to say
or what I think.
They tell me what they think.
But Ron asked me questions.
He listened
and asked me follow up questions
and was genuinely interested
as I sat there on his couch
spilling the facts of my life.
He was anti religion
didn't believe a word in the Bible
turned off to it big time
said sternly in no uncertain terms
that I was not to pray out loud.
Neither was I to bring that black box around
that held communion elements.

But he wanted his funeral in my church.

That signaled a huge disconnect to me
between the sarcastic, twinkly charm
and the lovely soul within.
I didn't mention it.
I watched him get up on crutches
and make his way to the bed.
I left him there
no closing with prayer that day.
But something had stirred within me.
It was the birth of a call
to companion him.