Lovely Memories

Sometimes just sitting around drinking coffee on a quiet Friday morning, your brain can treat you to a pleasant memory. It happened to me today.

For some, or no particular reason, as Forrest Gump would say, I got a vision of a little guy named Vinnie. He was really short -- probably just over 5 feet, and I worked with him during the summer of '81.

I was home from UM, and still pre med, and had applied to work at the nearest hospital, which was Boca Raton. At first there were no openings, and I accepted a job at the newly opening Bennigan's on Federal Highway. I was going to be a host -- I went to two training sessions, and learned the Bennigan's birthday song, which remains embedded in my brain to this day. But the day before I was to start, Boca Hospital called -- they DID have an opening -- so I called Bennigans and begged off.

They put me in the pharmacy, and I met some great and colorful characters. The pharmacists were all Gators, and we kidded each other about our football rivalry. And the techs, like me, were undergrads -- I was the only Cane -- most of the rest went to FAU which they called "Find Another University."

Vinnie and I worked side by side. He appreciated that I would happily reach the higher shelves for him, and never take shots at his diminutive size.  Among the men there was good natured busting of balls -- they loved talking to me in the Yiddish accent of many of the old patients, as I was the only young Jew -- but I could tell right away Vinnie was sensitive about his height, and I kept that out of the game.

We'd all get together at apartments the staff had rented, and one night Vinnie hosted a party. There were a lot of beers, and some weed, and then Vinnie took out an old Martin guitar. He sang -- he had an amazing voice, and was very talented. And his favorite band to cover was Aztec Two-Step, an acoustic duo from his native Boston.

Everyone listened, and raptly so. Vinnie was good. He'd also play stuff more familiar to us, like Neil Young, and we'd sing along. These were lovely get togethers, and a delightful summer for me.

My college friend Vince, also Italian, hosted an epic July 4th party, and many of my co workers made the trek from Palm Beach County. Vince lived in North Miami , and the Boca folks thought it was a big deal to go to tough Miami. In fact, it was rough then -- we had just had the McDuffie riots, and were dealing with the Mariel Boat lift.

I can't recall if Vinnie came to that party -- I don't think he did.

The Summer ended, and we all moved on.  My life would change radically the following summer -- Dad died. By then, I was no longer pre med, and my summer job was a salesman at Jordan Marsh in the Town Center Mall.

I sort of slept walked through my senior year, and at the beginning of the summer of '83 Boca Hospital called -- would I come back and be a tech again? I would -- the pay was great, especially compared to Jordan Marsh, and I wanted to save some money for law school, which would begin that September.

Vinnie wasn't there, though. One of the other techs said he had moved back to Boston.  I never heard from or saw Vinnie again. 

I hope he's fine, and had a good life. I also hope he still shares his music -- maybe by now with grown kids and even grandkids.

All I know is, the memory of his playing brought me warmth today -- in my mind, I guess I went back to Boca...