Before I enrolled in Computer Science at the University of Manitoba I spent several months in Engineering in Saskatoon. It was a hellish time (my first extended time away from home) in a strange city with no friends. I did make one good friend named Hugh Baker. He was the only bright spot in an otherwise miserable situation. He was a veterinary student, a poet, and a part time drummer with the local symphony, and he had a wit second to none. I lasted from September until mid February before packing it in and returning home. Sadly, we never kept in touch. This was 1972 - years before the internet and email.
In 1981 I decided to take a road trip from Winnipeg to the west coast of Canada. While passing through Saskatoon I made a stop to see if my old friend was still living there. Finding him in the phone book I called him up and, in a thickly disguised voice I said "Hugh Baker?"
He replied, "Yes. Who is this?"
I responded (still disguised), "All in good time, Hugh Baker."
He immediuately said "Jim!"
We got together for several hours and renewed our friendship. Eventually though I had to hit the road and resume my trek west. Upon returning home two weeks later I got engaged and somehow marriage, and then family kept me focused on the home front.
Last week at the cottage for reasons unknown to me my friend came once again to mind. Thinking it would be nice to contact him and catch up I googled "Hugh J. Baker DVM". To my shock and dismay the first thing that came up was his obituary. He had passed away less than three months before. He was the same age as me - 62. I would never have the chance to see my good friend again.
If you have a friend or loved one that you haven't talked to in a some time, assuming that there will always be time - not now, but maybe in a year or so - to get together, don't put it off. Do it now because "some day" may end up being one day too late.