So I grew up believing that was a Blood, Sweat, and Tears song, as they had the hit with it. Years later I learned it was written by the amazing Laura Nyro, the gifted Jewess who also wrote "Wedding Bell Blues." Of course, the song is a Negro spiritual-like reflection on the circle of life -- when she dies (which she did VERY young) there'll be another child born in this world to carry on...
So Paul's best childhood friend Steve died last week. They met in NE Philly at 5. Steve was a great guy -- degree from Penn State, and a Master's from Vanderbilt, and ended up taking over his Dad's real estate biz. Steve was VERY successful, but dressed in a way that made ME seem like GQ -- and my sartorial appearance is often described as "Are you painting your house today?" Steve was diagnosed with kidney failure years ago, and opted to NOT go on the transplant list -- he lived with dialysis for nearly a decade.
His funeral is today in Philly -- Paul and Patricia got on their flight yesterday despite the FAA ground stop,and will be with Rose, Steve's wife, and his kids Willie and Samantha, their spouses and the grandkids Steve SO adored. He was a true mentsch. Not a great man, as Kenny noted about his Dad Manny, but more importantly a very GOOD man. My crew and I all aspire to be that as well.
And, as if to prove Nyro's message, today we have a baby naming to attend: my best law school friend Mike's new granddaughter Elizabeth "Ellie" gets her Hebrew name from, as I love to politically incorrectly say, the girl Reform rabbi. Chris was raised Catholic, and found out much later his maternal grandmother was a crypto Jew, but still doesn't identify as Jewish, though his wife Rachel and her family do. We'll fetch Lili and Jeff and head over to the stately Askowitz manor, as I call it, tough Tony isn't Batman, and celebrate a new child born.
But wait! There's more! Jonathan's VERY tall and wonderful brother Dan and his wife Melanie welcomed a baby boy last Thursday. His bris is coming this Thursday. Both parents indeed identify as Jewish. Melanie is pretty tall, too -- we're already predicting this baby will be picked first on his schools' basketball teams. Dan could dunk, back in the day.
And so there is it -- the circle. One of my favorite songs is one of Lennon's last: watching the wheels. He sang, at 40, about how I am at 65, no longer "running the ball" but enjoying watching life roll on.
I SO savor the good times. Yesterday was one -- fetched Kenny at 845, and made it to Joe Robbie in record time. Mike had set up his table, and Barry and Donna and Scott arrived soon after. Mike had sausage and casseroles and Chik Fil-A sandwiches; Barry brought bagels and lox. I joked that one was the Jewish table; the other the goyish table. In the middle was the alcohol -- in honor of Scott's attendance from DC, I drank screwdrivers early.
Rob, in from Portugal, brought Madeira breakfast cocktails -- rum based. They were great. I titrated the alcohol just correctly enough to kiss hello Dean, thinking he was Alex, who I ALWAYS kiss. But Dean is a handsome young fellow, too, and at my age I accept all the action I can get...
I told the Ds and their response was "Poor Dean." Hey -- he got married in France a few months ago to a woman. It's time he branches out...
After the Baby Naming, we will meet D1 and the boys at Fairchild for their annual Night Garden. They light the place up and the kids can hunt hidden virtual fairies. Also, this year they have a faux ice skating rink. I'm sure hilarity will result.
When we first took the Ds skating, at a rink in Pembroke Pines, D2 put on her skates and took off -- like a young Dorothy Hammill. D1 held the side boards. I could NEVER ice skate -- ankle failure -- though I DID roller skate back in the day.
But the reason for the season is the boys. The older one got perfect grades and we attended his Honor Roll ceremony on Zoom last week. I asked if he saw we were the only abuelos -- the rest of the participants were parents. He did, and said "Grandpa Dave -- that's because old people are tired and lazy. I mean, maybe you aren't, but (Wifey) sure is."
As D1 calls him: The World's Most Interesting First Grader
So for now, nice wheels to watch rolling by. Rest in peace, Steve. Hope your Iggles, Sixers, Flyers, and Phillies all win.
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