The Likes of You and Me

All of us must go one day. It happens to

the best of us as well as the worst. None

of us will ever have the right to claim being

the first or the last. We who have thus far

survived will fall perhaps among the billions

somewhere in the middle. Who among us

still alive recalls the day we drank that six

figured bottle of Chateau Lafite? Or, how

about the day we planted our flag atop 

Everest? Who could forget our trip around

the Earth in a hot air balloon? And wasn’t

it a hoot, you and I atop the podium in the

Olympics being awarded gold and silver

medals respectively? Of course you don’t

because the likes of you and me never did

any of those things. No sir, no ma’am, even

our best achievements in this lifetime were

never so glorious and grand. In my time, I

have painted a few paintings none of which

ever became renown, have never been hung

in a local gallery let alone the Louvre. You may,

however, recall a silly or mundane something

I may have said or done while we were both

still alive. And should I be the one who survives

your passing, I’ll do whatever is left in my power

trying to remember your name. Ralph, wasn’t it?

No, Carl or Mike? I can still see your face all right,

but I’ll be damned in this old age mind of mine,

at this time, your name seems to have escaped me.

Chris Hanch 5-7-18