The elderly gentleman down the street

For about last 6 months or so I've noticed this elderly gentleman that walks up and down our street with his walker. His walker is one of those that has the seat in the middle where he can stop and sit when he needs to take a break. My daughter and I have passed him in the afternoons on our way home from picking her up from the farm and occasionally on weekends when we're running out to do errands. We've always waved to him, but had never stopped to formally say hello. I've even seen him stop to rest at the front of our driveway for a few minutes. I know from Sean that he lives at the front of our street and that he was friends with Sean's parents. I know that his wife had passed recently because Sean's mother had said something about it one day and I remembered seeing a lot of activity at the elderly gentleman's house, but until his wife had passed I had never seen him. One day a few months ago I saw the man walking and I had pulled up along side of him to say hello. We chatted a bit and I had let him know then that even though I had never stopped to talk to him before that I always tried to keep an eye out for him when I saw him. I hadn't seen him in the last few days because of the cold weather, but today as Sean, Sky, and I were coming home from the farm I spotted him making the loop by our driveway. I stopped the truck and rolled down the window to hear Sean make the off the wall comment " Don't be harassing the old people" which got a good laugh from me right before I told the elderly gentleman hello. He came up to the window and we chatted awhile there, seeing that man smile and laugh was nice. He said he had done his rounds 4 times today because the weather was so nice and that he did one round for all the neighbors who didn't get a chance to do their exercises today, so I responded that Sean, Sky, and I could stand to loose a few pounds so that if he wanted he could do another round just for us. He laughed and called me a good smart ass, which in Louisiana that tends to be a compliment. I asked if he liked apple butter and was happy to hear that he loved it and since I had a few large jars left from the other day that I had made, I told him I'd catch up with him in a few minutes and bring him some. I hadn't been inside but a couple minutes and by the time I came out he was already half way down the block sitting down waiting for me. From the look of him you wouldn't think he'd walk that fast, I'm sure when he was a much younger man he was the top athlete at the 50 yard dash. Even told him as much and that put another smile on his face. He was so happy to get the large Jar of apple butter that I couldn't help but smile. I stayed and talked with him for a little longer. You could tell behind his brilliant smile that on the inside he was a little sad. He even told me that most often he gets really lonely and I know he misses his wife greatly. He was 87 I had learned today and for 87 he's doing great. The point of this story is that whenever possible stop and talk to your elderly neighbors and keep an eye out for them. I know we made the gentleman's day just as he had made ours. Most of the time our Senior citizens are lonely and just need a friend to talk to, But in talking to them you gain this whole wealth of knowledge and values from an era in time that will never be recaptured.