So Miami was hosting Pitt, and kickoff was 8, and so we planned a fun tailgate. I fetched Kenny at 5, and made it to the stadium in 20 minutes. I forget how living in the Grove knocks off a lot of time to get to points north, from our Pinecrest home which Cubans call Casa Carajo -- or, like, way the hell out there.
We parked, and Kenny brought a birthday gift for fellow 61 celebrant Norman, some really good Rye, and I brought vodka. Kenny also brought "street pie," which is key lime baked by a young fellow who lives with his parents in the Grove and sells them from a cart out front. It's great pie.
Barry and Josh arrived, joining Norman's older brothers, and nephew and great nephew. Soon Rob came, with delicious smoked sausage wrapped in bacon, and then Eric, Dana, and their boy Josh with some Reuben wraps. It was a lovely evening -- catching up with old friends like Dave and Maria, two law school classmates who have sons the same age as the Ds, and 2 granddaughters giving them the generational balance we have with 2 daughters and now 2 grandsons.
Dave still practices, and told me of appearing in front of a judge we know well, with an opposing lawyer our age, and the judge saying "So nice to have gray haired lawyers before me -- you guys know how to try a case." Dave said all the other lawyers there were 30 somethings. Maria leaned in and said "It's a young man's game, fellas."
They bought a vacation house up in Stuart, and they love going to dinner there -- they're often the youngest patrons. In Miami, with few exceptions, like Captain's Tavern, we're always the oldest diners at restaurants. No city for old men...
We trudged into the stadium, and the game was essentially over by the first quarter. It's Coach Mario's first year, and the team is plain bad -- they finished 5-7 -- worst record in 15 years. There's still optimism for the future -- I guess we'll find out. But a friend reminded me recently we saw 5 championships with our beloved Canes -- if that turns out to be it in our lifetime, we can't truly complain.
The bad game was a good excuse to walk to the Club, where Kenny, Barry, Josh and I sat at a corner table drinking sodas and talking about medicine, law, and life. We barely even watched the game on the TVs there -- and it was just as well. Canes ended up losing yuuuuuuge.
No traffic going out -- and I dropped Kenny home before midnight. It was still a terrific evening -- like fishing on a beautiful night and the fish don't bother you.
Today, Wifey is going soon to D1's, where D2 will muster and they are headed along with Jacqui up to Broward to see Hamiliton, for D1's birthday. Our baby girl is 34 today!
I was going to D1 and Joey's house, but luckily Joey's Dad Ricardo is hanging with him to watch the boys, and also excitedly watch World Cup soccer. If I went, I would have to see my Dolphins on an I Pad, so this gringo, non soccer fan is going to hang home, eating the last of the T Day leftovers and watching a hopefully much better than Canes team win one.
Unfortunately, we have a funeral to attend this week. Jeff's Mom Judy died Friday night -- she was 83. She had some health issues, but was expected to live quite a bit longer. I guess the Big Man had other plans. Normally a Jewish funeral happens right away, but she's going to join her husband Norton in an old Miami cemetery that's not a Jewish one, but has a Jewish section, and their first available appointment for the hole digging is Wednesday.
Judy got to have 5 wonderful grandkids, and at least meet her one great granddaughter on FaceTime.
The bible say a "complete life" is three score and 10 years -- or 70 -- so she got that as well as another Bat Mitzvah worth of more years.
Kenny and I discussed declining health with aging on our way home -- sadly, some people "live too long" with many ailments. That was certainly true of my Mom -- her final 4 years were no picnic -- and she made it to 93.
But, much as we think we have control over stuff -- we truly don't.
So the only plan that makes sense is to savor each day we get on this mortal coil -- like eating and drinking with friends on a warm evening in the parking lot of the stadium formerly known as Joe Robbie.
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