It is all good ... until it is not!

That is sorta what the boys' UB said the other day to me. He is the person who started off as my brother's best friend Sir B and then became the boys' honourary uncle UB, and I guess it is time for a new moniker ... he is my friend now and I’d like to think of him as IB ... kinda like 'I be' (‘I am who I am’). Since he is who he is, he said those words to me recently. And why did he?

Allow me.

I have had just one solo dinner with IB ever, and I have known the man for almost as long as ASid has been on this planet. So, the dinner was 2 dozen years in the making. It happened over the recent summer break. We went to my favourite restaurant. I ended up with a bowl of carbs and IB had a plate of protein. I made a mental note of it. (If my little tale ever becomes a screenplay, I would be happy to name the restaurant and describe the meals in a delicious manner … for now, those details do not matter.)

Over the Thanksgiving Weekend, IB had plans to watch a movie and I tagged along. At the movies, I had a mini popcorn and IB had some protein chips. Later, on our way back to our individual homes, I commented on his protein intake. He talked about eating better … if I remember correctly. And I said something like I eat whatever and I am good. That’s when IB said those words to me.

I did not think of those words until this morning, when I ran into my building superintendent. The man had been MIA for 3-4 weeks. He is my neighbour, and I didn’t register that fact until recently. Once I did, I reached out to him and delivered some food. I caught a glimpse of him once and he was a little unrecognizable. This morning, both of us stepped out of our homes around 7 am. He was walking with a cane. This man is probably my age or younger than me. He said that he went through some surgical procedure and he was embarrassed to talk about it. I didn’t press for any details. I was just glad the man was alive. I told him that he was so busy taking care of the building that he forgot to take care of himself.

And on my way to work, IB’s words just popped into my head. Sometimes words may make an impression, but they perhaps need to paint a picture for impact. That’s precisely what happened when I saw my superintendent … he was good until he wasn’t! I hope the man recovers quickly.

Meanwhile, I need to not forget those words and look for ways to be better than good. I am not the best with making changes so this will take some time, but I am glad I have people who are there to remind me!