We have lived in our current home about 18 months now and one of my mother’s and my favorite parts of living here has been our neighbor who would sit on his deck morning, noon and night smoking and observing all things within his line of vision.
There were a few times when he would be gone for awhile and we would always wonder where he was and when he was coming back. And when one of us would spot him upon his return we would hurry to tell the other in joy that he was back, to smoke and observe.
There was some comfort in knowing he was always around keeping an eye out and although we only exchanged hellos and same waves of acknowledgement, we considered him somewhat of a friend.
I would always share with people that I didn’t know any of my neighbors but had one friend, the silent guy who sat and observed.

When I got into my car today to leave church, my mother called and told there were sheriff cars, ambulances and fire trucks lined up in our neighborhood starting from behind my husband’s car and all the way down the street. She said she did not know what was going on. My response was “I pray that they’re not at our house nor Buddy’s.”
Buddy immediately came to mind because you could tell as he sat & observed that he was not a healthy man. That’s why in his absences I use to fret about his whereabouts.
My husband beeped in on my call and asked was I on the way home, I replied yes. He shared details about hearing a lot of sirens and looking outside to see EMT workers surrounding Buddy on his balcony. He said they were using something to pump his chest and it did not look good. 😢
He was really concerned with my mother and I arriving home to that scene as he knows how we felt about him.
My chest tightened, that was not news I thought I would receive today. 💔
My mother beeped back in and she had passed the emergency scene and was in tears as she also shared that it was in fact our Buddy unresponsive on his deck.
Shortly after arriving home and making sure my niece stayed on the opposite side of the house to eliminate her ability to witness the scene, Buddy flat lined. The paramedics packed up and started to moved to their next emergency.
Buddy laid shirtless & lifeless on his deck, having left his physical life right there in his favorite place.
Buddy would be on that deck for the next few hours as the family and the one sheriff left awaited the arrival of the mortician.
As he laid on that deck and everyone started to move about their normal routines including the sheriff who sat on a call on his phone on the deck smiling and laughing, I was alarmed. Just that quickly, this man, our buddy was a thing of the past!
We have become so desensitized to all matter of the heart that it’s alarming. Our buddy was laid out, exposed and as I kept peeking to check for the rise & fall of his chest that will never come again, I was overcome with sadness!
I had to pray. This was tough! The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 17-18
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Although the scene before us was grief stricken, that scene was temporary in it’s physical sense, but his new residence is eternal! Our Buddy is now with the creator of heaven and earth.
May he forever rest in peace and keep watch over us!🙏🏽