My Friend, Noble Johnson

This is dedicated to my very best friend and brother, Noble Johnson. He wrote the forewords to both of my published books.

I met Noble in prison some thirty years ago. Friends in prison seldom exist. People call each other partners, road dogs, brothers, etc. I’ve always had trouble calling people a brother unless I really meant it.

It’s always been hard for me to establish friends because I’m a loner. The two things I look for in a friend is honesty and loyalty, and in prison this is usually not going to happen. Noble Johnson is a special person. It wasn’t until he was my cell partner we got real close. We are totally different. He is always so positive, and I’m usually negative. Noble loved movies, and I loved sports.

Our first year living together, we didn’t communicate very much. As time went by we got more comfortable with each other. We started eating together, working out together, then we did everything together. We even had the same job, but different shifts. We went to college together. That was fun. We took some of the same courses. The courses were tough as neither of us had been to school in years. We needed to bounce off each other.

After Noble turned sixty, he started having problems with his neck. He was diagnosed with a degenerative disc. His neurological system was all out of whack, but all through this ordeal Noble never complained. I will always admire his courage. Some days were better than others, but we made do and we still had a lot of fun. We enjoyed each other’s company and nothing could disrupt that as long as we were allowed to be together.

Friendship can turn into a relationship that is closer than family. It’s so hard to form friendship in these places, so when you get someone you are comfortable around, you get attached. On June 16, 2025 Noble was released back into society after 50 years in prison. I miss him in great bunches but I’m so happy he finally gained his freedom.

I want to thank my very best friend and brother, Noble Johnson, for always being there for me, whether I was right or wrong. Thank you for everything Noble. I love you, brother.

Robert Clark