Good bye My Friend

We hired on together
about a year ago,
took the last week of our training togther. . . .

You smiled at me
across the table
as we were taught
about first aid
and other stuff.

Your route
took you far away,
while mine was local,
so we didn't see each other much
during those first few months,
but,
although your world was falling apart,
you still smiled and laughed
when we bumped into each other. . . .

Then came COVID,
and they furloughed us
for five long months,
but you never forgot me,
even got my number somehow
and called out of the blue
several times
to show me
I wasn't forgotten. . . .

We were called back to work
in mid-July,
and the shit really came down for you;
missed COVID texts,
shitty vans,
getting your ass chewed
because your route took too long
according to the bosses,
being hit in the mouth by a client,
an the list goes on. . . .

You had the worst luck
of anybody I've ever known,
but though you persevered,
eventually
enough was enough,
and yesterday
you quit.

Now my life on the job
is going to be
that much more bleak
without My Friend there
to cheer me up
when things get tough.

Goodbye my friend.

You WILL be missed!