Two of my favorite men.

The one on the left is Papa Rich, GodPapa to legions, Big Orange Guy to me. The one on the right is Robby, my boon companion and partner in crime since 1984.

Papa was the librarian at Young Harris College, and I was supposed to be one of his workstudy kids. I sprained my ankle on the first day of school and couldn't go to work. Then I got sidetracked. When I finally went and met him, I looked up, up, up. He was 6'8", more than a foot and a half taller than I am, and he was orange. I also thought he might be mad.

Papa died a few years ago, and there's still a hole in my heart about that tall. The world's a different place for me now.

Papa and his family, Mama, Robby, and Mary, became my family, loving me even when – especially when – it's not easy to. If there's a sweeter woman in the world than Jan Richardson, I'd sure like to know who she is.