Andy & Eddie

[Sonny]

Andy & Eddie

One day Andy was rummaging through the collection of old

photos in the attic, when he came across one that he hadn't seen in years.

It was an old faded picture of his school chum, Eddie White. They'd run together for most

of their growing years, but the school system sent them to different Senior schools, and that

was the last they'd ever seen of each other.

Andy wondered how Eddie was doing, and for the days and

weeks that followed he just couldn't get Eddie out of his thoughts. He

explained the waves of nostalgia that kept rolling over him to his neighbor one day, and

his neighbor suggested that he take the time to look Eddie up.

It took him months and months of careful research, but finally he traced him to a

cotton mill in Manchester. His parents had moved to Manchester shortly after Andy

and Eddie had started Senior school, and that was why they'd never seen each other all

these years. Eddie had done well for himself.

Andy learned that he had worked his way up to chief cotton buyer for the mill, and so with great

anticipation Andy boarded the train to Manchester.

The following day, he went into the reception area of the mill and

asked the receptionist to inform Eddie that an old pal was waiting

downstairs to see him. The receptionist simply smiled, and Andy's heart

sank as she informed him that Mr. White had gone abroad to buy cotton for the mill,

and he wouldn't be back for at least four weeks. It was a tremendous disappointment,

but Andy said that he'd try again in four weeks.

And that was how it went on and on. Every time Andy went to the mill to see Eddie,

he was informed that he'd just left to buy cotton for the mill.

But one day, the receptionist took pity on him, and said to Andy, "Look, I've just spoken

to Mr. White's secretary, and she assures me that he is very eager to meet you again

after all these years, and that he'll definitely be in his office on the 18th of next month

to see you. And he made that a very firm promise. He'll not go anywhere that day to

buy cotton!"

So Andy had this assurance, the weeks went by, and the 18th came along.

On that morning, Andy walked into the reception area with a spring in his

step, when suddenly the receptionist's face told him that he'd be

disappointed yet again.

"But this is dreadful;" moaned Andy, "please don't tell me that he's gone

off to buy more cotton. Every time, it's the same old thing. 'Mr. White isn't here

right now. He's in Egypt buying cotton!'"

"Er, no," said the receptionist. "It's worse than that. You see, Mr. White

dropped dead in the car park the other day."

What?" cried Andy, "My friend Eddie, dead? I don't believe

what I'm hearing!" "I know how you must be feeling," sympathized the

receptionist, "but perhaps you'd like to see the monument that the company

set up over his grave. It's just across the road in that cemetery."

So Andy sadly dragged his tired feet over to the cemetery,

and walked up to the huge black marble monument that was erected over

Eddie's grave, and through his tears Andy began to read the magnificent gold

lettering carved on the front of the monument:

"Here lies Eddie White

Gone, but not for cotton."