My Friend Richard

I have a friend named Richard whom I met some years back when I worked for a major communications company. He's a peculiar individual in the sense that he knows everything. Not like a know-it-all, he literally knows everything. I remember one day I was driving and was lost. I called him and gave him my destination and a few surrounding landmarks and he guided me to my end point without missing a beat. The conversation went something like this:

"Travel east for about 2 blocks and you should see a large white building to your right. Incidentally, that building used to be the old Lincoln dealership. For years they did business in that location and was family owned. After the corporatization of auto dealerships, they went out of business in '93...where are you now?"

Not only does he give directions, but he gives historical data on the surrounding location!

I was once having a conversation with him about a girl I was dating. He asked me what high school she attended and I told him. YEARS later, he remembered and brought it up in a conversation. I asked him how he knew and he reminded me of that old conversation we had. I learned at that very moment, with Richard, every question is a fact-finding mission.

But more than just being a walking Thomas Guide (which was one of his request for Christmas when he was a child), and an archival system of information, Richard is the most down to earth person you could ever know. He's deeply religious, but he never judges anyone based upon his belief. I, for one, am known for being adventurous in many ways, characteristics that religions frown upon. Rich has never judged me-even though he knows just about everything there is to know about me. Over the years, he's always been my good friend.

We have annual event(s) that we like to attend and no matter how long it has been since we've seen one another, we always try to get together for those events. One such event is the Los Angeles Auto Show. Richard, his cousin Alfred, and I have been attending this event off and on for quite some time now. Afterwards, we head over to Marina Del Rey and have a late meal at Jerry's Deli, one of Richard's favorite dining establishments.

This year we flew up to San Francisco for the Mac World conference and I'm hoping we can make this an annual event as well. Richard is the world's best tour guide. He provides factual data about every venue, building, street, bus, train, or bart route, business data, data on celebrities, politicians, ex coworkers and even member of your family (ok that was an exaggeration). During the entire one day trip, he entertained me with information.

I've never seen him angry, never heard him swear, never seen him drink-which makes us the most unlikely of friends because I'm a repeat offender of all the aforementioned. Of all my ex coworkers from that communications company, Richard is the only one that I keep in contact with, and who keeps in contact with me.

We used to work with a young lady whom I shall refer to as Madam "M". From time to time Richard will arrange what has affectionately been referred to as Lunch with 2 Dicks (because we're both named Richard). Don't read anything sexual into it-it's just 3 old friends getting together for lunch. This too we try to make an annual event.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that friends are extremely valuable to our existence and Richard has been a great friend to me. Periodically, I will feature great friends in my blog and I hope you readers enjoy meeting them as much as I've enjoyed having them as my friends over the years.

Rich, I love you like a brother and I am most fortunate to have you as a friend!

TPOKW?