"Absent Friends" is about the death of very close friend.

One only has to leave home to learn how to write an interesting letter to an absent friend when he gets back.

She stood with her back to the wall, watching him as he continued nodding at his absent friend's last question.

In fact, never does a good heart represent its absent friend to itself as being happy or cheerful.

No husband, an absent friend; all the blocks knocked out from under me at once?

Finally, they all get the message and go home, wishing their absent friend a happy birthday.

There are some absent friends you don't realize how much you've been missing until they suddenly pop up again.

This story is for absent friends and family- some long gone, some lost just recently.

It was somewhat dashed by the following letter which he received a day or two later from his absent friend.

He looked down at his left leg again, and thought of his absent friends.