Day 4 - Postcard to an Uncle

I have several "Uncles" but only two of them are actual biologically so. This particular postcard is going to someone I met on the internet, and over the years became one of my dearest friends. I was living in Iowa at the time and needed to find an apartment ASAP. I went on roommates.com and found a gentleman who was looking to split the rent with someone who was responsible (check!), financially stable (check!), quiet (check!) and could move in immediately (check!). It sounded almost too good to be true. I had waited for a room to open up in a house where several of my friends were staying on a month-to-month basis. It didn't look like there was going to be someone moving out at the right time, however. I contacted roomates.com guy and went to visit him at his home. He had on a thick Dickies jacket and was grilling ribs in the backyard. Would just seem like a normal occurrence in the midwest, but it was night, and it was Winter. He would pop outside to check the meat, then come back and chat a bit about his work history. He used to be a volunteer fireman, but quit because he couldn't sleep at night without having nightmares of the days before. He seemed very genuine and funny. I really enjoyed meeting him. The next day a room opened up in the home I was waiting for, so I called the gentleman (Kenny) to tell him I no longer needed a roommate, but thanked him for his time. 


I kept his contact information and set him up with a friend of mine who needed a roommate. They didn't really jive and after a few months, neither did my housemates and I. A little shuffling occurred and I was Kenny's roommate. I inherited a cat from one of my housemates and Kenny was smitten. The cat, (Reggie) was very mild mannered and attentive. Kenny spent months training the cat to do little tricks. I had no idea cats could be trained like dogs! Kenny became the guy I could come home to after work and vent to, he became emotional support and a confidant. Best of all, to this day, he's still one of my few friends who I can be completely "me" with. I'm crude, I've got a biting sense of humor, I can be offensive. I love it when people get my humor.


As time passed, I had an opportunity to leave the state, but I couldn't take Reggie. Kenny was excited I left him behind. To this day I still get "Mother's Day" cards, Birthday Cards and Hanukkah cards...from Reggie. :) Kenny and I stay in contact through email, but I don't usually send snail mail. I know he'll be really tickled to get this card, and he'll laugh until he cries when he sees the picture on the front.