when you asked me
to be best man
at your wedding
I didn’t realize
I had to embellish
the wild stories you told your niece
in my speech
but being your friend
I told of how you saved all of us
on the tour bus
from an alligator attack
in the Everglades
and on a fishing trip
battled pirates single-handedly
and thus saved the ship
Jimmy, old friend
the things we do for each other
so okay, the alligators
I can understand
I mean there were dozens of them
sunning themselves
and there could have been a feeding frenzy
the tour bus occupants being lunch
and you gallantly saving the day
bopping them on their snouts
kicking them back into the swamp
but pirates, Jimmy
outside Miami
that was a stretch
I did out of loyalty
for you
I did bring up those parking tickets
hundreds tumbling out of your glove compartment
back in BG
and you snickering
in that car of yours
you insisted I broke the rods
in the roof
while climbing on top of the hood
with alcoholic fueled bravado
a year later though
you got even
by driving over my foot
with your “mean red machine” van
one night
on our way to Lucy’s Burritos
which we could only find
drunk and at two in the morning
did we really drink that much
in those days
with you pulling on the beards of Texans
arguing with cops on Sunset Blvd
over the definition of jaywalking
and who won that race up the hill
in Malibu
Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy
my dear old friend
I miss your wit
your insightful comments
that sparkle in your eyes
just before trouble starts
how sad it is for me
to know we are both settling
ten thousand miles apart
me between Asia and Europe
you on the coast of Mexico
my only hope
one day
is to meet somewhere in between
so you can save us all
from the barbarians
for the first time
once again
what friendship is
on believing in happiness: for Chuck
so there’s the weekly conversations
when skype is working
about books music women life work
there’s the plans
the trips to Mission Ranch
where I stayed once
on your recommendation
Izzy’s Steak House
that New Year’s Eve
with Little Chuck
who is actually taller than you
but you’re still Big Chuck
in our eyes
the balloons floating toward heaven
that list of questions
we were instructed by you
to ask all available women
and lo and behold
it did lead to conversation
some of it even interesting
there are the magazines you lay out
the CDs DVDs books
you’re always listening to something
though you tend to watch the same movies
over and over and over
again
you are the kind of friend
whose picture is in the dictionary
under loyalty
and though opinionated
they are opinions worth hearing
you keep coming back to the Jesuits
and I admire that in you
your values
your belief in goodness
and charity
and the power of love
which is God in your eyes
there are the morning masses you go to
the opera
the baseball games at Giant Stadium
basketball at Stanford
you would be called
a Renaissance Man
in a different time
one that would appreciate you better
and though I don’t think
you should tell women which shoes to wear
you do it from love
as you do all things
for you are one of the kindest
most loving persons
I know
you could learn to cook
though
and you may be a bit too obsessive
about haircuts
but an evening at Bics with you
is never dull
your past is checkered
with different careers
you’ve been so many people
done so many things
bookeditorjournalistmusiccritictvproduceragentadvertisingexec
and you play a damned good round of golf
I think
however
you might own a dozen or so
too many polo shirts
but your two tone shoes are mint
you’re part William Powell
part Felix Unger
with a dash of Bing Crosby
thrown in
we’ve only lived in the same city once
a thousand years ago
when you tried to buy my book
for Avon Books
and we played pool to The Police Roxanne
lunch at the Getty Museum
you stayed with me in NY
in Lynbrook
where Charlie bought the beer
an act of kindness
you cannot forget
and in Long Island City
in Bayside too
and I stayed at your place
in Santa Monica
two places actually
in San Francisco
there was The Stones Some Girls on repeat mode
the long play of course
and Sinatra doing Summer Wind
for three hours
while we killed a couple of bottles
of Glenfiddich for you
Jameson for me
what were we thinking
and though I can say
you’ve led an eventful life
why you can’t find
a woman worthy of your heart
is beyond me
Chuck
old friend
you deserve happiness
we all do
of course
but I would forfeit my chance
to see you get yours
for you are a true gentleman
a prince
as they used to say
deserving of that princess
in that castle
in that kingdom
this lifetime
here and now
believing in happiness again
for the last time
and it pains me to hear
you stopped believing in it
these days
Chuck
old friend
these days will pass
and the sun will shine
in San Francisco
for you
again
Leonard Durso 