A friend

Zbignew Ting arrived today. He's the bush pilot who flies up with mail, supplies, and news of the world. He's one of the few humans who knows where my headquarters is. He's also one of my best friends.

He'd been laid up for a while - shoulder problems.

"I'm afraid I'll need some surgery," he said. "It might mean no flying for a couple of months."

One of the bad parts of being as long lived as I am is that I don't age, but many of the people I love do.

Zbigniew is not my first good friend.  All the others have gone home to be with the Lord. I'm happy for them, but I miss them. And I sometimes have a hard time watching as they age.

As is Zbigniew.

Once he's had the surgery and recovers he'll be back. But eventually, he'll have to stop flying. I might get to see him on trips to southern lands, but not as often, and gradually the years will take their toll.

But for now, I'll enjoy his latest visit.