Comfort and hope from unusual sources -- Back Talk

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Subject: Comfort and hope from unusual sources

Author:
Dana

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Date Posted: 10:26:01 10/01/01 Mon

It was my father's birthday on Friday, so I've been in a rather reflective mood. I think the world feels pretty grim to a lot of us right now, and comfort and hope are essential to our sense of well being. That comfort and hope just might come from the most unlikely source.

Comfort.....

My dad told the funniest stories about his childhood and teenage years. The best and funniest stories always involved his friend Eddie. At times I wondered if Eddie really existed, or if he were a character that my father invented.

My dad's funeral felt surreal. A sea of Armani suits telling me what a great guy my father had been. I know that condolences are awkward, but when they talked to me as if I hadn't known him it made me want to scream. I just wanted it to be over.

Then I noticed a man who stuck out in this crowd. He was dressed in Bermuda shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, 6 diamond studs in one ear, and a huge diamond E pendant. I walked over to him and introduced myself. He said, "Hi, I'm Eddie L. I was a friend of your dad's when we were growing up." Yep, it was THE Eddie.

Later that day I spied Eddie sitting on the back porch smoking a cigarette. I went out to talk to him. He spent about an hour regaling me with stories from their childhood. Some I had heard before, others were new. I laughed through them all. I derived such comfort from someone celebrating my father's life instead of mourning his death. Eddie provided me with a sense of comfort that day. I'll always remember him for that.

Hope.......

Ralph is my next door neighbor. He's an 82 year old widower, who leads an active life. He's been an author, major league scout, union negotiator, and a very successful businessman. He still flies his plane regularly, and grouses that they make him fly with an instructor. *G*

Ralph and I were talking, and he told me that he's at an age where he's interested in having as many new experiences as he can. He then told me that he'd had his first beer three weeks ago. He'd always been a martini man, and suddenly they stopped tasting good. He decided he'd try beer. Now, he's determined to try all the different kinds of beer. *G*

Just thought I'd share.....

~Dana

Whenever I think of

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Replies:

[> Subject: Re: Comfort and hope from unusual sources

Author:
Pam
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Date Posted: 13:39:59 10/01/01 Mon

Thanks for sharing that! Eddie sounds like a character and a half. LOL. I'm always astounded by the wealth of knowledge and humor that older folks have to share. Some of them are just the BEST storytellers, and it's wonderful to sit and listen to them talk. My father in law is in his early 70's, still very active, and tells the most side splitting stories of things that happened when he was younger. Most of them my husband can verify, since he saw a good portion of them.

One of them (I'll just give the facts, since there's no way I can do it justice) involved my father in law and one of his drinking buddies, years ago. The buddy decided to drive home after an evening of beer (they both lived in the country, and back then drinking and driving wasn't a no-no). The buddy went out, got in his car, lit a cigarette and passed out. My f-i-l noticed smoke coming from the car a couple of hours later, and upon investigation discovered that the interior was on fire, buddy still asleep. Max grabbed a hose, sprayed down the interior of the car, and put out the fire. Buddy, still plastered, begins extreme bitching about how his car is now full of water! Max, having no patience for ungrateful fools, retrieves his shotgun, opens the car door, blows a hole in the floorboard and watches the water drain out. "There, no water in the car. Go home". LOL. I love that one.

Pam

[> [> Subject: Re: LOL

Author:
Dana
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Date Posted: 14:08:11 10/01/01 Mon

Your father-in-law sounds like a lot of fun. Our immediate neighbors are all elderly, but all incredibly funny. We had a neighborhood party last weekend and it was a blast. This is definitely a group of fun loving people.

C. said that we would have the next party, and they all wanted a Halloween Costume Party. I can't wait to see the costumes. *LOL*

~Dana