Many, many years ago, I had a friend who was very sweet and gentle, someone who belonged to a courtlier, more romantic time. He wrote some lovely songs, and once even asked if I would play piano for some of them (I, dismissive of my abilities, regretfully turned him down.)

I've thought of him over the years, wondering what he'd been doing, always feeling that, somewhere along the way, we'd run into one another again. The feeling strengthened when a mutual friend found me on MySpace a couple of years ago.

Finally, curious, I Googled him today.

He died of cancer in 2003.

Oh, Brad. I am so sorry -- sorry I waited, sorry I wasn't there, sorry I didn't even know. Even though we haven't spoken in a decade, I still grieve.



I’m looking for a woman who loves the sky when all the stars are piled high
I’m looking for a woman who loves the air when all the winter trees are bare
I’m looking for a woman who loves the sun when the winter’s dead and gone

And I’m looking for a woman
I’m looking for a woman
Yes, I’m looking for a woman who loves more than just me

I’m looking for a woman who loves the wind as it comes whistling through the door
I’m looking for a woman who will know just what she wants me for
I’m looking for a woman who loves the things that make this living worth the pain

And I’m looking for a woman
I’m looking for a woman
Yes, I’m looking for a woman who loves more than just me

I’m looking for a woman who loves to lie where the mountains meet the sky
I’m looking for a woman who loves to roam in places that are all unknown
I’m looking for a woman to keep me warm in the middle of a lightning storm

And I’m looking for a woman
I’m looking for a woman
Yes, I’m looking for a woman who loves more than just me

I’m looking for a woman who feels this way in spite of what other people say
I’m looking for a woman so we can both go barefoot all the time
I’m looking for a woman for the summers and for all the winter times

And I’m looking for a woman
I’m looking for a woman
Yes, I’m looking for a woman who loves more than just me

"For a Woman"
Brad Banyan
Rest in Peace