Rochester, NY
11:43 PM
I got a call earlier tonight from a friend I’ve known since 1st grade. He called my house phone which is normally reserved for solicitors. I had lunch with him the week prior so I knew it wasn’t time to catch up, and the tone of his voice was solemn, so my stomach fluttered. He said his dad suddenly passed away the night before Easter.
That’s when your mind goes to work. It’s wild, I hadn’t seen his dad in years, but my mind flashed with all of the memories stored in there about him. He was our soccer coach with my dad from 2nd grade through 6th and I could see him in an orange shirt and a red one. I could see their house and their basement. I remember having sloppy joes for the first time at their house. I could see his flannel shirts. I remember us zoned to the Intellivision and him telling us it was time for dinner. I could see the old school satellite dish in their backyard by the pool. This was not a mount on the side of your house dish, this was a huge, as big as a TV station has dish. The same dish that got lots of sports, but also provided the constant lure of the Playboy channel when we were going through puberty. I don’t think we ever scored on that one.
It took a while for it to set in for me. I’m sure it did for Mark too. My guess is it probably hasn’t yet. As I think about it, this may be the first dad to pass of my young guy friends. And it is weird.
The book questions have taken a backseat. It started with Easter mass, but really took shape tonight. My dad was taking a nap when the call came. It made me appreciate him all the more. And my mom.
It’s strange how death hits us as we get older. I’ve had a few friends pass away and that has shaped who I am, but when it is a parent, it makes you think so much about your own. I guess the lesson is you never know what will happen. We should show the love we have.