Memories

I cannot believe it is 21 years since my friend, Josef died.
He was a refugee who fled Ukraine during WW2 I was only a
child when he came to live in the house across the road from us,
in 1974. For some reason folks used to call him the Polish man,
I never did know the reason for that.

He was the kindest and most gentle person I have ever met.
I remember him telling stories, and being totally enthralled
by his accent and the glint in his eye and smile on his face while
he told me and the other children far-fetched tales of when he
was a boy.

Before I travelled to Taiwan, we had a chat. He told me to
grasp the opportunity that fate had offered me. 'Better to
venture out and see the world' he said, 'Don't live your life
asking 'what if' live your life.' He gave me a pocket watch,
a really handsome time piece, telling me everytime I checked
the time I would remember what he had told me.

Sadly when I returned from my time in Taiwan, I found out that
Josef had passed away. I still have the pocket watch, and it's true
what he said. When I use it to check the time, his voice echoes in
my mind, 'Don't live your life asking 'what if' live your life'............

PrestonPoet.