Big Man, Small World

I took my elderly Mom to her regular doctor appointment yesterday. After sitting in the waiting room for a bit, I got bored, stood up to walk outside for a smoke and then I saw him.

Mike and I first met in 1989 in Nouakchott, Mauritania. (LOL) That's in northwest Africa, in case you're wondering. Sahara Desert and all that goes with it. We were both there working for our respective companies on an oil exploration project.

Over the next 3+ years, we worked together a couple more times. The longest time we worked together was in Dakar (Senegal) for about 4 months. We had adjoining apartments in an old colonial block of flats.

He was originally from Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) but was a US resident for about 20 years. We both travelled so much, it didn't matter where we were from because we were rarely there. Mike and I were drinking buddies. Mike could down a beer as fast as any man I've ever known. He's a large, burly man with an "in your face" presence. Looked like a heavyweight boxer. Loud, sometimes obnoxious, and the nicest guy you'd ever want to know. A great companion in a 3rd world country because he spoke several languages and took shit from nobody.

He picked up any available girl almost every night of the week. He never asked me why I didn't do the same. Maybe he didn't notice. We were always drunk. We drank breakfast, lunch and dinner together on many occasions. Yet we still got our work done; we were "functioning alcoholics." The last time we saw each other was in 1992.

Walking toward the door to go smoke, I actually did a double-take. As I got within a few feet I just said, "Hey, Mike." He glanced my way and stopped. "Dave! How ya doin' man?" No hesitation at all, immediate recognition. We chatted for a few minutes, marveling over the fact of seeing each other in this place, at this time, after all these years.

My Mom walked out from her appointment and I introduced the two of them. Niceties here and there and we were off.

Considering where we ran into each other yesterday, I hope Mike is OK. I did not ask. I also did not tell him that I stopped drinking almost two years ago. I couldn't tell him; he smelled like he had just finished drinking breakfast.

Moi, Mike's girlfriend du jour & Mike in the Busch Lite t-shirt (Dakar, Senegal)

Mike with friends at our bar/office, The Ponty (Dakar, Senegal)