Best friend I ever had

She’s probably about 24 in this picture. (Photo by BobbaLew.)

“I sure do miss my old battle-ax,” I said through tears to Cheryl Anne Brewer, my aquatic-therapy coach at the Canandaigua YMCA.
“She died over four years ago, and I’m still somewhat devastated.”
For the past few weeks I’ve been doing one-on-one aquatic therapy with Cheryl Anne in the pool at the YMCA.
Almost a year ago I had total replacement of my left knee. It was bone-on-bone, and I was hobbling.
Ever since then my balance deteriorated, so Cheryl Anne suggested aquatic rehab to the guy who daycares my dog.
Call my wife “the old battle-ax” in normal conversation, and the skirts usually say “don’t call your wife that.”
Say it through tears and it’s different.
Maybe five years ago I noticed the effect tears had on women.
My wife had been hospitalized because of a bad cancer flareup.
I went to visit, and was crying as a nurse came in.
“Sorry,” I said. “I can’t help it.”
“That’s okay,” the nurse cooed; “I understand.”
As if she were saying “Boy I wish my husband cared about me as much as this guy cares about his wife.”
I tried to hold back for Cheryl Anne, but kept choking up.
“I had a stroke — you know that — so phonecalls and conversation are difficult. My wife used to do ‘em for me, so now on my own I’m nervous.”
“You do just fine,” Cheryl Anne said.
She’s supposed to be my aquatic-therapy coach, but got asked to be a counselor.

• That picture chokes me up.
• My beloved wife of over 44 years died of cancer April 17th, 2012. I miss her immensely. Best friend I ever had, and after my childhood I sure needed one.
• I had a stroke October 26th, 1993, from which I pretty much recovered. Just tiny detriments; I can pass for never having had a stroke. It slightly compromised my speech. (Difficulty finding and putting words together.)