Bill's Friend

After Bill’s funeral, I sat with people I didn’t know at the luncheon.

“How did you know Bill?” I asked them.

“We worked with him.”

“Oh.” The realization hit me. “Where did Bill work?”

They looked at me like I’d grown another head. “He was the CEO of (very big company).”

I dropped my fork. Bill rotated the same two ratty shirts to the gym every week.

“Really? Bill?”

Still puzzled, they asked, “You were friends?”

I liked Bill.

We talked about family, hiking, music, exercise… but in ten years, he never mentioned work.

Now I like him even more.