NEW ORLEANS — Yesterday, I sat on the park bench waiting for you. I first found it a year ago, and you have been sitting there for years. It was like home for you, but it was intimidating for me at first.
The whole city could see me from the bench, and I was so unsure. You made me feel at ease with your ridiculous jokes and stories of the people who shaped your life.
Your love for Bethany and your children. Music that made you feel deeply and food that smelled so good you literally ate out of the pan even when I warned you it was too hot to eat. Your unwavering belief that M&M's were the superior candy. And that time of the morning when a long commercial break meant we leaned in to play connections on your phone. A favorite time of the morning we both looked forward to.
Sometimes, we left the bench and took a trip to the WWII museum, went down to the riverfront to celebrate jazz fest, went on a bike ride through the quarter, danced late into the night at the Bacchus rendezvous only to wake up hours later to keep the celebration going on Lundi Gras, and got dressed up to watch the floats roll down St. Charles Avenue on Mardi Gras day.
But we always made it back to that bench. I thought we had more time to sit knee-to-knee, shoulder-to-shoulder.
A few months ago, you turned to me with that smile, completely unprompted, and said, 'You know it takes a lot to sit next to someone this much, but I really like working with you,"
I can't remember what I said in response. Did I tell you I felt the exact same way? I hope you knew that.
Yesterday, I sat on that park bench, waiting for you to show up, even though I knew you wouldn't. But in a way, you will always be here, on this bench. So, I'll sit here for both of us and keep watch over the city you loved so much.
Yesterday, I sat on that park bench, waiting for you to show up, even though I knew you wouldn't.
I just wanted to say thank you for sitting with me.
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