Friends Come and Friends Go

“It was nice knowing you.”The words didn’t come from a sneering supervillain, nor did they contain a hint of sarcasm. Up until that moment, I’d heard the phrase only in action movies and comedy skits. But there I was, standing before not just a real-life person but a longtime, eighty-year-old friend. She was smiling, reaching out for a hug, and telling me with the utmost sincerity, “It was nice knowing you.”I returned her warm expression and embrace, but my speech faltered. It was nice knowing m