BEST FRIENDS©
I went to see old Joe today.
Boy, we sure go back some years.
Nothing he did ever surprised me.
Now I can't believe what I hear.
As Mattie let me in the house
She warned me to keep still.
Her Joe was stretched out on their bed,
He sure looked mighty ill.
How could this happen to my best friend?
It just didn't seem fair.
Joe was a man as big as an ox
But he looked so small lying there.
Now I'm not one for letting on
Exactly how I feel.
But I tell ya I had a lump in my throat
As I thought this can't be real.
Joe looked at me as I stepped close
And then I heard him say,
"You're just the fella I wanted to see.
You can help me on my way.
Mattie's strong and she'll be fine.
In my life, she's been my jewel.
It's not her I'm worried about,
But who's gonna feed my mule??
You know as well as I do
That mule is gonna get whiney
If he don't get his breakfast on time
In a bucket that scrubbed and shiney.
And you know he likes his hay laid out
So he can stand and face the gate.
He can get to hollering mighty loud
So you best not make him wait.
His feet are good but once in a while
He's gonna need some trimmin'.
Just watch out for his left hind rear
Or he'll set your head a spinnin'.
You might want to take him a peppermint.
I keep them out there in the barn.
I usually give him two or three
But a few more won't do him no harm.
He's got a spot high on his withers
That he likes scratched just so.
Just kind of rub him there
Not too fast but not too slow.
Aw heck, it just ain't worth it
To share with you this wealth.
I ain't gone and I already miss him,
I'll just tend to him myself."
So Joe got up out of bed
And went outside, the old fool.
I shook my head as I drove away
And left him alone with that mule.
by Kathy Dynge
