yesturday my cousin called me.its been a while sence I have talked to him.He came to moms funeral.but you have so little time to talk.He said He had been in the hospital for a bypass.He had a heart attack.He has had a rough time of it too besides the sickness.a few years ago He found out His wife had been running with some other guy.she worked with the guy and they had been seeing each other.one night He got off work alittle eary to come home and found them together.He was shocked cause He thought everything was ok.well she left him and moved in with the guy.poor vern was just crushed.I felt so sorry for him.but what do you do?He isnt the same person anymore.He doesnt sound like himself and He is lonely.as we talked I wish I had some thing to say to help Him but I didnt.He has lost his wife and his mother passed away few years ago.and about two years back His Dad passed away.He has a sister but she has had a rough time too.she lost her husband to cancer few years back its sad.vern said Im sorry I wasnt around for you.He said we use to see each other almost every weekend when we were kids.but now we dont see each other tell someone passes away.I told him I understood it was a diffrent time when we were kids.it was a time when people were closer and visited more.but when you get married and move things change. we did spend some good times together as kids.vern and His mom and Dad would come to our farm.He and I would take our guns and target shoot.we would walk the fields and just talk.I would come to His place and we would play pool.He taught me well so I would beat him.so that soon stopped. one day when they came out my brother and vern and I all went for a long walk down by the swamp.we had our tweenty twos and were just walking and visiting.it was getting darker but we were having so much fun we didnt even see how dark.well we came to the edge of the dich filled with water. and I seen and heard some thing run across in front of me.and off to my left something stood up by the willow tree.I could see it was taller then me.and I said bear run.we kept my little brother in back of us and we stayed between the bear and him as we walked back wards as fast as we could.we couldnt see if she was coming so we kept the guns ready.we finely were close enouph to the fence to run and get under.we all were scared.I told my Dad but he thought we were pulling his leg.so we let it go and counted our selves blessed we didnt end up supper for her.the next day the game warden came and told my Dad he seen a mother bear and two cubs crossing the road by our driveway.Dad just looked at me but didnt say he was sorry for not believing me.but he wasnt much for ever saying sorry for anything.vern and I became teens and we drifted apart.He got married to his frist wife and I got married soon after to my frist husband.and time just moved on.vern is a nice guy but he is not real stronge.life has beaten him down.and so he would have a problem finding some one he could trust now after all the junk.I dont know what happened to him and his frist wife,I never asked.he has a daughter and some grandkids.at lest he has that.its sad how life turns out some times.it would be a blessing if every one could find someone to love who you could stay with the rest of your life and grow old with.but it seems that is not the case.I see people who are happy and then their spouse dies.or they are happy and someone comes along and steps in and messes things up.I feel sorry for young people now trying to find lasting love.I remember when I was a kid.I dreamed of finding the right one.boy do I wish I could go back now knowing what I know now.I would live my life alot diffrent.and Id grad my heart alot better then I did.and I wouldnt give it to just anyone. one more story of vern and I.we were talking to my Dad one hot summer day.and He said now if you two are going shooting.dont go out back of the grainry and shoot into that dead cow.and he walked away.well thats like telling a kid to go do it.so we went out and sure enough there was this bloted cow.and we stood there for a while talking.vern said lets shoot it to see what happens.now I knew my Dad and I knew he had some thing up his sleeve besides a dirty arm.but being young and dumb I didnt know what his point was.well before I could say no to vern he had walked closer to the cow.me I was staying down wind cause it didnt smell so good.I walked little closer to say hey lets go.but it was too let.vern let off a bullet and it hit its mark.and the gas inside her shot magets and Lord knows what else all over us.eeewww!!!we knew then why we had been told to stay away.but we also knew who had been watching us.the sound of laughter filted from behind the grainery.so we lit out of there and never said a word about it to anyone.but I never trusted my Dad after that.I always weighed every thing he said so I didnt get stuck in one of his games.and that seemed to chap his hid.and that was fine by me.I didnt need to be the butt of one of his jokes. wonder if vern remembers that day?Ill have to ask him when we talk again.well have a good day.and if you read thanks.God bless.O keep vern in your prayers.