My 60th Year

I miss Dr. Bill, and hope he's still alive. I suspect he is, since he's well known enough that his passing would have made the local obits.

Dr. Bill is a civil engineer who was our go-to expert in accident reconstruction. He was a double Ga Tech grad, and on staff at UM since the 60s. He literally wrote many of the books on reconstruction. He was a gentleman. He was one of the smartest men I ever met . He was, and I hope still is, very much a practicing Catholic, and he used to tell me about my religion -- he knew more than I did.  Whenever I spent time with Dr. Bill, I would leave our meeting feeling smarter -- he always taught something.

When anyone had a birthday, say I turned 30, he'd say "congrats on beginning your thirty FIRST year." I'd say no, Bill, I just turned 30, and he would point out that from birth until one's first birthday, they were very much a part of this Earth, so one had to look prospectively. And so yesterday, when I turned 59, I thought of Dr. Bill, as I am now in my SIXTIETH year on this mortal coil.

Yesterday was a banner one. D1 and Joey and the baby came early, and set up shop. We played with the little guy as the rain poured outside. D2 and Jonathan fetched the food -- take out from Morton's in the Gables, and arrived about 1. Drinks flowed. It was the first steak I had since March, and it was delicious. We laughed. Wifey had decorated the dining room, and we all felt festive. I was blessed.

D2 and Jonathan brought me a handle of Stoli Elit. Mike and Loni dropped off some Tito's outside. Later on, Alyssa and Freddy came by -- with Ketel One, a big bottle. People know I am indeed the vodka man. Wifey thinks I should drink nightly -- but I don't. I keep to 3 nights a week, so that I really look forward to it. It keeps the weight down, too.

Joey made me a video, and it got me misty eyed -- shots of him with our family, and some highlights from our shared trips -- to Colombia, Mohonk Mountain House, and NYC. He set it to Petty's "Learning to Fly," which D2 and I danced to at her wedding. The last shot was me holding the little guy in our pool 2 weeks ago.

A lot happens in several years.

After the new parents left, D2, Jonathan, Alyssa and Freddy and I took a walk around the 'hood. The special needs Spaniel got to come, with his stroller, since he can only walk about 1/4 of a mile at a time before he needs a rest. Freddy was so wonderful with him, as was Alyssa. They're thinking of starting a family. I hope they do -- they will be awesome parents.

They left, and D2 and Jonathan stayed with their enormous puppy, Betsy. Our street mutt, Vienna, growled when Betsy wanted to play -- poor puppy thinks all dogs want to play.

After everyone was gone, Dr. Barry FaceTimed me. His birthday is Friday -- he'll be at work, still dealing with the misery of Covid.

I fell asleep extremely grateful. Against the back drop of this awful plague, it was a lovely day.

So I hope Dr. Bill is well. I ought to look him up -- he probably has more wisdom to share. But for now, I think of him in this 60th year...