My Best Friend
by Pete Pollock


John was a very unique guy. with a sense of humor that was only bested by the greatest comedians and  he had great loyalty to his friends.
 

I met John in 1965 when we were both working in Carfin at a leather factory, and we became instant friends. I met his family, and it was he who introduced a few weeks later, to Hugh McLernon, who also is a friend now for many years.
When I came over to California in 1981, I was hoping that John would also want to try and move over here, but he was content to stay in Scotland.
 
We always continued to phone each other for long periods (as my old phone bills will testify to!) but with the coming of computers we were able to keep in touch much more easily.
 
I was both surprised and concerned when John got sick, he was always very fit and healthy so I assumed it was just something that would be taken care of with treatment, and John being John, he always made light of it, like it was no big deal.
 
I think of all the friends I ever knew who passed away, John's passing away both saddened and hurt me the most. For a long time I found myself staring at walls and thinking back to all the good times we had together.
 
When I say he was like a brother to me, he truly was, we went to the movies together, we double dated together. we got drunk together, we confided in each other both the bad and the good things in our lives.

He was my best friend.