Over the years, we all age yet these two do not seem to. She puts on some weight, he does also, yet every time you meet she is showing off some new diamond or expensive jewelry he bought her. You look impressed, he simply smiles. You hope he has a brother in law who got it wholesale, but he does not say.

And every now and then at some grand function in the grander ballrooms in town, you meet your good friend. With him, you have completed any number of favorable transactions in business. You shake hands and he again introduces you to his wife.

She has new diamonds, and even without would look stunning. Her adoring husband has shown his appreciation for her help. She has worked in the business with him and has been a wonderful mate, he says.

With a wave, they are out on the dance floor. And all us gentlemen who have gone through divorces and custody battles with other women than this angel out there dancing with our pal, and we all watch their love glow.

My dear friend died a while ago. It was only a family private service, which saddened many of his many friends in town. We would have loved to be there to pay final respects to this prince of a man. So when I phoned to offer my condolences, she said that was what he had wanted.

And so many chaps and ladies around town surely hoisted a glass to their dear, respected friend. Some of us, who knew him, and he knew so many, did.

And as we had been friends, she shared with me a secret that made us both laugh. Way back,in her first year at the local college, more than half a century ago, a now famous businessman in our town came and sat down beside her. You ladies would understand: She knew he was talking her up so he could ask her out.

To fend off a rejection, she leaned over to him and said, you know the only fellow in this class I really want to date? And she pointed to her future husband, who then must have been very handsome.

On her way out the college doors after classes, her future husband showed up beside her, and said are you going some place I can take you in my jalopy? She felt flustered and stammered, yes. He then pulled up with the brand new 1954 car that belonged to his father, and they went for a long drive.

They now have three wonderful grown children, which seems a better story than a fairy book, because she choose, he came at once. And God bless their souls, and all like them.

She was so gentle and perfect and beautiful that he treated her as if she was his angel, and she was that to him all their adult lives. And she choose him. A very honorable, disgruntled friend made that happen.

He still looks less than joyous. But he did the right thing.