20 years ago, August 1995, Arthur and I met as new students at the Arkansas School for Mathematics and Science, a magnet residential high school (Gosh!! I can't believe it's been that long ago!). We initially viewed each other with puzzlement and possibly a bit of suspicion, but both quickly faded and an amazing friendship developed...one that has lasted the test of time and all that life could possibly throw at us.
Together, Arthur (aka Luther...private joke) and I have braved ups and downs, life and death (literally the birth of our children and deaths of our loved ones), weddings and funerals, marriages and divorces, financial hardships and times of surplus, not to mention fights and arguments, and church and church folk (and God knows that alone is a test of patience). But through it all...Arthur has stood by my side when all others deserted me. When I was in the abyss of life's turmoil, one of the ONLY persons I could call and count to be a REAL friend, was Arthur Lee Ingram, Jr.
He has been my friend and confidant, my brother and my soulmate through thick and thin...when it was convenient and certainly when it was not. I could fill this blog with pages and pages of stories, experiences, anecdotes and memories, but I'll simply end by saying this. I only pray that I have been or can be the kind of friend he has been to me. Arthur, I love you more than you could ever know. You are my brother and I salute your spirit. You, my friend, are truly one of kind! Here's to another 20 years!!!
P.S. This is the only picture I could find of us...
and it's from 10 years ago!
This must be fixed!!
