The date was 8/6/18 just your average Sunday morning, birds singing their love songs to each other, waiting for the right one to come. Clouds like the pillows you lay your head on at night. Blue skies waiting for the planes to rip through them, there's already some planes soaring like they’re weightless. The grass still has morning dew on it making them look like the most precious crystals you could ever see. And that cool end of summer breeze almost that makes you think “Wow never felt a better day then this.” I started my day with some nice freshly made fruit I got from teddy’s fruit stand this morning when I went on my run to start off the day. The juiciness of the strawberries make it feel like a forgien fruit i’ve never had before. Anyways enough about this beautiful day, this was the day I met my hero, Elberto the noodle maker.

My friend, Cris, great guy, he invited to lunch with him to this little noodle joint on the corner of Elmers St. It’s like a 5 minute walk from my house. So I decided to go. Cris and I have been friends since the first grade, I still remember the day we became friends, it seems like it was just yesterday. We both didn’t really know each other back then till this day but it started on the playground, we all ran outside out the door for recess, I think i got my love for running these days because we would race for the good ball, there was only one good ball that everyone would try and get first. I was in the lead when all the sudden I heard someone on my tail, so I went faster, and faster, ran my lungs out and right when we got to the bin we bumped into each other and let me tell you, I soared through the air like a sonic jet, we both hit the ground so hard that we broke the same wrist, so from then on we decided we would be best friends for life, and to this day we are still friends. On are way to lunch we talked about are funny memories together. It’s crazy how time flies. One second it’s your first day of school, the next you’re off to college to finally start your life.

We walked into the little shop and ordered He got the rich and creamy fettuccine alfredo, great choice. I got the tortellini with chicken, it’s a classic. We got are food in about 5-10 minutes. Freshly made pasta with a little Italin accent to it. Let me tell, that first bite was like nothing before, creamy stringy cheese melting in my mouth with the fresh pasta outer shell, heaven in my mouth. The Chicken was as good as finding the love of your life, The chicken was so good I couldn’t stop shoveling it into my mouth, Not even a break in between bites all of the food I could fit. Out of nowhere a piece of chicken got caught in my windpipe, I couldn’t breath, Cris didn’t notice at first because his face was basically in his plate. I started to make that choking noise that every choking person makes, you know the one where you can’t breath, that one. Still nobody saw me I couldn’t believe it, I thought “maybe it’s my time.” Then all the sudden I felt these big burly arms wrapped around me with so time of comfort to it, The comfort didn’t last long when he performed the heimlich on me. At the same time kind of embarrassing. After about 10 pumps and I think a broken rib The chicken came flying out of my mouth and straight into my cup of water on the table. I didn’t   care about the water, all I wanted to do was to thank the man who did such a heroic act to save my life. When I turned around I saw my hero, Elberto, the noodle maker. He stood tall and proud, black thick hair balding a little on the top of the head, big bushy mustache that covered half of his mouth. it looked like the heavens were looking down on him. But not only can he make some amazing noodles. He can also save your life. I told him I would give him anything in the world to repay him but all he wanted to know was if I was okay, and if the noodles were good. I told him that they were the best noodles I’ve ever had, also let him know that it was the chicken not the noodles. Telling him that put the biggest smile on his face. Even though I just this man I gave him my phone number if he ever needed anything, he gladly accepted it.

Later that night someone called me. It was an unknown number so I picked it up and sure enough it was Elberto the noodle guy. He asked me if we could hangout, I told him I’d love to. Around 6 I went over to his house, he was waiting on his steps. We shook hands then he opened his door for me, as I walk inside and saw all of these pictures of 3 kids two girls and one boy, I would say the were about 4-8 years of age. In every picture there was also a woman, very beautiful, I realized that these are mostly like his kids and wife but they were older photos I could tell because they looked dated. He followed behind and saw me looking at the pictures. He then started talking about the pictures. The kids names were Jamie the little 6 year old boy, loves being outside or doing something sporty.Then there's liz, she is the boss of the children or so she thinks  at least she is 8 years old. The last but definitely not least she was little 4 year old Mary. All she ever does is constantly follow in her siblings and walks down the same path as both of them. And he pointed to the woman and told me that that's his wife, Alyssa, “The most smart and beautiful girl in the land,” he said. I asked if I could meet them later on or if they'll be joining them Then he told me what happened to them. It was a car accident, he had a tear show up in his left eye, but he told me it happened 7years ago, his whole world was complete, then completely flipped his world inside out. I felt so bad but I was speechless, I could never imagine going through something like that. Losing your whole life. He told me that they were the only anything that he needed in life. And they were the only thing he had cause he doesn’t any other type of friends. He just sits in this empty house , lonely, doesn’t talk to anyone, actually has very rough english so it’s harder to talk to people. I thought to myself for a second, then realized that he needs someone, like a friend. Maybe that’s why he invited me, he needed a friend so that what I did. We became great friends over the stories we shared, we talked for three hours straight about all the stories about us. I also asked him where he learned the heimlich from. He said he learned the heimlich, CPR, and any other type of life saving skills so when something happens to anyone around him, he will try his hardest not to let their loved ones feel the same pain. A person like him was given the worst someone could get, he did not deserve it either, one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.

I left after about 3 full hours of talking and pasta eating. We said are goodbyes and I went off. The whole way home I couldn’t imagine where I would be if Elberto wasn’t there. Probably wouldn’t be here but I am proud to say that My life was saved by my new friend Elberto the noodle guy.