-----You've Gotta Have Friends------

You’ve Gotta Have Friends
By Lisa Ann Noe

In 1962, my parents got military orders to go to Monterey, California, My father was newly entered in to the army.  My parents were from the hills of Harlan,Kentucky, Which is a small coal mining town in the eastern part of the state. They loved the Appalachian hills, but when they arrived in Monteray They fell in love with the hills of California and the tropical setting of the pacific.

Right off, the pair met up with the zaniest couple you could ever imagine.
They were a riot.  Just slap your knee silly, but that’s what made them so endearing and special.  Bill, was a tall average sized man and Sue was kind of petite. To give you an example of how funny and down to earth the couple were I shall recant a tell from their dealings with people. A short while ago,  they were in a crowded airport. Walking across the floor a few feet in front of Sue was her sister-n-law, She yelled out to the woman, calling her name and the woman kept walking all the time ignoring Sue, as if she didn't hear her..  So Sue called her name again this time saying “hey red headed woman, look at this man he lost his britches.” She was just jovial as she spoke of Bill, who had taken off his belt to go through a metal detector and his pants fell down to his knees...right there in public--for everyone to see!  She laughed as she called it to everone’s attention.  Her sister-n-law ignored the two like she didn’t even know them. The pair were great friends to our family and still are till this day, they visit us when they can.  It’s not easy now days, They live in Texas and we in Kentucky. 

Every state we’ve ever lived in they have come to visit us. We went on Vacation to Florida with them once and it was a time to remember.  Another fun thing about Bill, is that he never meets a stranger, he instantly befriends anyone he comes in contact with.  Once he met some fishermen on a shrimp boat in Biloxi, Mississippi, and he hollered to them “Ahoy their, may we come aboard.”  It always struck me as funny how he would meet someone and the next minute be friends with them like he knew them all his life..  The fisherman did take us on board and give us a tour of a professional shrimping boat.    And it was a day to remember, because our friend was just himself a fun witty person with out pretense.

True friends are hard to come by because everyone puts so much emphasis on what you have and not who you are.  Sue and Bill are our true friends beacuase of who they are.  I can’t tell you if they are well off or empoverished because that’s not the type of relationship we share.  I know I love them as human beings. And that they feel like my aunt and uncle,  although they're not.

They are both sick now , suffering from various illnesses and I to suffer with health issues but when they came for a visit last year, it was the time of my life. And  I shall never forget it. They are wonderful friends and we had a super time. You can’t keep from liking the pair, as they are loads of fun.

So remember what the song says, “You’ve Gotta Have Friends, “ To make this life speacial and meaningful, you must share yourself and your love with those you meet.