My friend___Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Thud. Thud Thud Thud. Thud Thud. Thud Thud Thud. Thud Thud Thud.
A volley of bullets pierced through the air. Three of the deadly shells lodged in the skull of a burly soldier, who fell to the ground instantaneously. One second later, a charged explosion shook the scorched earth, claiming the life of another hapless victim.
Horror tightly gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend, Brian, fall under the hail of bullets. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier anxiously asked his lieutenant if he may venture out to save his dying friend.
"You can go!" The lieutenant yelled with his broken voice in his struggle to make himself heard. The soldier was about to leap out and make the dash when he was suddenly yanked back.
"But I don't think it will be worth your effort. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw away your life needlessly," continued the lieutenant.
The soldier hesitated for a moment. His lieutenant's advice struck a chord but the soldier cared too much about his friend. With greater resolve, he made a dash for Brian. Miraculously, the soldier survived and managed to bring Brian back to the trench.
As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the lieutenant checked the wounded soldier and then looked kindly at his friend.
"I told you it wouldn't be worth your effort," he said. "Your friend is dead and you are injured beyond duties."
"IT WAS WORTH IT SIR!"
"What do you mean? Your friend is dead."
"YES SIR," replied the soldier. "BUT IT WAS WORTH IT BECAUSE WHEN I GOT TO HIM, HE WAS STILL ALIVE."
"What did he say? His death wishes?"
"NO." The soldier shook his head. I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, "JIM...I KNEW YOU WILL COME."
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A true friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.
