I saw an old friend last night. I hadn’t seen him in ages. We used to hang out all the time. He was so much fun. The life of the party. Told the best jokes. Had the best whiskey. Played the best music. Played all the hits.

Everybody loved him. Everybody wanted to be him, to be near him.

Then one day, he suddenly disappeared. 

Nobody knows where he went. They put one of those telephone alerts out for him. The put out an APB. Nobody responded. 

Just like that, he was gone. The fun was gone. Those great times we had every night, gone. I wondered the streets aimlessly looking for him. I went to his favorite places looking for him. He was nowhere to be seen. Someone was impersonating him, but doing a horrible job of it. It was obvious he was a fraud.

I had almost given up hope I would ever see him again. I had resigned myself to the sad fact that he was just a face on a milk carton. 

Then, last night, as quickly as he disappeared, he was found. Far from home. In another country, no less. 

It was great seeing him, knowing he was alive and well after all those sleepless nights wondering whether he would ever show up, wondering if he was okay, wondering if he remembered those good times.

I hope I get to see him again tonight. I hope he remembers how many people love him and miss him and want him back.

I hope he is back for good.

*****