Coffee for one

Last week a guy in my department retired. He was an ‘old timer’ and had worked on one of the products here since the beginning. Early in his career he was a test rider and messed up his back badly and the whole time I knew him he used a cane. Last year he was using a walker and got back surgery that helped him out but he is just such an active person held prisoner by his body. Every day I would bring him coffee when I got myself a cup and he was always appreciative and we would talk for a few min and then get on with the day. I planned his retirement party, originally it was just going to be our department of 8 going to lunch, and then other people wanted to come so I moved it to one of our large conference rooms. So many people responded that they wanted to come that I had to move it to our building communication room (the one every employee fits in at one time) and ordered lunch for 40. I counted 52 people there and it was a nice low key fun lunch party. Friday was his last day and we all said goodbye but it wasn’t until today when I went to get my coffee that I really acknowledged that he is really gone.