call me...anytime

“I’m glad you called me, Chris,” he said. “It’s been awhile.”

“Yeah, it has been,” I said, feeling a little bit guilty.

“So…you had a good time?” he asked.

“Oh, yeah!” I said, with a big smile on my face. “It was awesome. Thanks again for hanging out with me this morning.”

“No problem,” he said. “I’m curious--what did you like best?”

“That’s a tough one,” I said, thinking about all we had seen and heard. “I guess…I guess if I had to pick one thing it was probably when we went off the main path and sat by the creek. I couldn’t believe how quiet and peaceful it was.”

“It was, wasn’t it?” he said, nodding in agreement. “What else did you like?”

“How about the sunlight and clear blue sky?” I replied, getting excited all over again. “It’s an absolutely beautiful day, isn’t it?”

“It is,” he said, nodding yet again. “Anything else?”

“The birds, especially the robins,” I said, without hesitating. “It was cool how they just kept flying back and forth in front of us. And what about those two squirrels who kept chasing each other around and wrestling?  The more I think about it, this has been the perfect morning.”

“I agree, Chris, I agree,” he replied, now wearing an ear-to-ear grin. “I like hanging out with you, too.”

We looked at each other for what seemed like a long time, not saying anything. I liked him. I liked him a lot.

“Well, I need to get going, Chris,” he said, holding out his hand. We shook, said our good-byes and he turned and walked down the path.

I stood there, now sad, wishing we could spend more time together. I missed him already.

“Who are you again?” I shouted, just before he was out of sight.

He stopped, turned around and that big smile returned. “You know, Chris. You know.”

“I…I guess I do,” I said, nodding my head, trying to hold back the tears.

Holding up his hand to his left ear as if cradling a phone, he said, “Call me, Chris, anytime. I mean that. Anytime. For any reason. You need me, you call me, okay?”

“Okay,” I whispered, tears now streaming down my cheeks.

He turned, took a few steps, then stopped and turned to face me one last time. Once again he held his hand up to his left ear, and I could see him mouthing the words, “Call me." Then he turned and walked away until I couldn't see him anymore.

I wiped my face, blew my nose and called him again right away. We hung out the rest of the day.

And the next day.

And the day after that.

“I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.”1

1  Psalm 120:1