The company you keep...

Friends, dear readers and true believers...

Today, I was exposed first-hand to the kindness of true friends. I'll explain. In the wake of the recent events rocking the simple and seemingly ordinary life of me, The Big Easy, a pixel of good tidings and cheer was extended to me.
A good, dear and FIERCE friend of mine was willing to share a pint or two of Black Velveteen with me at a local Irish Pub. Here's the thing... he bought. Knowing nothing of reward or kickback, he stepped up and bought me a few pints in what could be described as one of my darkest hours. We sat and talked about movies and the recent dealings at my old place of business. We talked music and it was as if nothing had changed. As if he expected me to show up on Monday and have a smoke pre-shift.
My friends...friends? What am I talking about? These extensions of my family are the best people you'd ever have the pleasure of coming into contact with. These guys would lie down in traffic for me or take a bat to some Barney's head and here's why... I'd do it for them. Without question, I'd do it.
I'll leave names out of this because you know who you are. Just last night, I found myself in a spot where I couldn't obtain the needed supplies for tomorrow's Christmas Shopping Extravaganza. I placed a call. Brotherhood was only a phone call away. Now, the guy I called also knows nothing of reward, I asked if he could do me a solid favor and he simply replied, "Name it, Easy." Now, I could have been asking that he drive a gas tanker into the pits of Hell. OR I could have asked that he bring me a half pint of blackberry brandy to take the chill off. He didn't know. BUT he agreed.
Readers, good friends are hard to come by these days. I urge you to extend your goodwill toward your fellow friend this holiday season and welcome them into your homes and lives. Believe me, it'll make you proud someday. I promise you. These are the people that are going to lift you up when you're feeling your lowest. The LEAST you can do in this time of giving is thank them for always being there.
So good friends, and you know who you are, I wouldn't be me without you. I love you all like brothers and sisters and believe me, one day, we'll all be having Boat Drinks on a patio someplace warm.

Slainte,
- Easy