After reading the stories on your site, I now realize what I went through one sad evening.

I moved to Minneapolis, MN in 1979. There I met a person who became my best friend. His name was Doug. We were inseparable. In 1987, I moved to Miami, FL and lost contact with Doug, which caused him a lot of pain.

In October 1990 I moved back to Minneapolis. I had only been back for one day when I tried calling Doug. But he had moved and I had no idea where. The next day, while sitting in a friend's living room, I heard Doug's voice calling my name. I went to a phone book and looked up his parents' last name. There where hundreds of listings with the same name. Without knowing their address, I choose a number and dialed. When a woman answered, I said, "Hello, is Doug there?"

The woman became very upset and at once a man's voice came on the line asking me who I was and why I was calling. After I confirmed who I was, his father told me that Doug had died less than fifteen minutes before, and had mentioned my name to them.

My grief was overwhelming. It felt as if my heart was being ripped out of my chest. I dropped the phone in anguish. At that moment, his voice came to me clearly -- he was OK, and I was not to worry, because he was here with me. I thought I was losing my mind. I felt his presence just for a moment and then it was gone.

I have kept this experience in for many years. I wasn't sure anyone would believe me, but I know now that he was calling me to say goodbye. I had no knowledge of his illness, and he did not know I had returned the day before from Miami.

Kimbo R. Close
kimborclose@yahoo.com

Posted July 6, 2005