Jig-saw puzzle

Working on a jigsaw puzzle with a friend brought back a vivid memory of decades earlier.

Robin Ford February 2016

 
 We sat in some discomfort on the floor
 And pieces in the puzzle tried to find,
 While memories from many years before,
 As vignettes, were appearing in my mind.
 That day, in easy silence for a while
 We'd waited for the one who'd cook the meal.
 But did I sense some trouble in that smile?
 A distant sadness I could scarcely feel?
 I thought I'd ask about the working day,
 A common opening gambit, true and tried.
 The answer took my certainties away.
 The thoughtful doctor said "a patient died."
 Some changes as we age can be distressing.
 The friendships that we've made remain a blessing.