On June 8th, 1946, it did begin
A life so special, the angels grinned
To see this child who would bless the earth
With love and compassion and an enlightened rebirth.
From the hells of Vietnam
To the streets of Tempe
In March of '69 this special being came to me.
Now twenty eight times since that day
I've been blessed to hear my best friend say,
"It's my birthday! I love getting older,
Because fate's still looking over my shoulder."
And after surviving three tours in Nam
Dodging death daily from bullets and bombs,
My best friend cherishes signs of aging
And calls each wrinkle and hair that's graying
A sign of success, a miracle of life
A reason to celebrate this fifty year old life.
So now I'd like to make a toast
To my best friend whom I love the most,
In this life and in the next
And forever and a year and all the rest.
Happy Birthday, Sarge! I love you.
