“Is it strange to say that you remind me of a fictional character?” Sam asked.

“Nah. I get that every once in a while. Even from people I’ve known for a long time.”

Sam smiled. “I still can’t get over it though. You and one of my favorite fictional characters both wear striped hats. And you both wear distinctive clothes. Well, if you call a bow tie clothes. Then again, what does a cat in a hat need with a tie anyway? Or with a hat for that matter? But he wouldn’t be a cat in a hat without the hat now, would he?”

“I suppose not.”

Sam continued, “Yeah, but it seems strange that I’ve known you like forever and I never noticed it before,”

“Oh, you noticed it before. You even mentioned it a time or two. Out loud.”

Sam scrunched his nose. “Really?”

“Really.”

Sam thought for a moment. “But it is so strange that I’m just noticing it now. Or since you said I said it before, that I am renoticing it.”

“It’s not that big a deal.”

Sam sighed. “Yeah. Maybe you’re right.” He smiled. “You know what’s funny though?” His friend just smiled for Sam to continue. “I used to have such a hard time picking you out of a crowd. When we were supposed to get together, I would look all over the place for you. You had to practically yell at me from the crowd. Now, I know you so well that it’s a breeze to find you when we meet.”

“Well, we’re good friends now.”

“Yeah. Such good friends.” Sam smiled and looked down for a moment to reminisce. He took a sip of his coffee. When he set his mug down, his friend was gone. Sam looked around, but his friend was nowhere to be seen. He had disappeared into the crowd. “Where is that guy?” He shouted, “Hey Waldo! Where are you?”