Phoning it in - Conclusion
It seems as though as soon as I get off one call, another call rolls in immediately after.
This time, it's the Rabbi.
He's at his in-laws and asks if I've eaten today.
I don't remember if I have or not.
He tells me that he'll be over in about an hour with a pizza and some beer. I hadn't thought about food all day and all he has to do is say "pizza and beer" and I'm starving.
Nobody calls for me during this time and I'm done making phone calls tonight. I just want to watch some baseball now. The Rabbi and I share a Rotisserie baseball team and we've owned it since 1990 or 1991. Our team has pretty much sucked most of the year but for whatever reason, we're having a pretty decent week.
Not that it matters.
The Rabbi arrives with a cheese pizza and some dark beer. The Commander decides to take the Chicken out for a bit.
How fun! A Man Date.
The Rabbi has actually started performing some rabbinical duties...including being with families that are dealing with a death of a loved one. But this time it is a little different.
Because we've been friends for almost 15 years and because he knew my dad a little bit.
The Rabbi tells a story about how long it took him to realize how tall my dad was. Most of the time that the Rabbi would come over, my dad would be in a recliner while watching tv in the dark. The glow of the tv would reflect off of the scotch on the rocks that my dad would be drinking. Our joke was that you wouldn't even know that he was asleep or not until you heard the ice cubes jingling.
Anyway, it was probably years before my dad met the Rabbi in a vertical position. He couldn't believe it took him so long to realize what a big guy he was.
We eat pizza and beer and curse our rotisserie team. I still think we have a chance to win but the Rabbi won't get his hopes up.
He brings the conversation back to my dad. "I've got to tell you. I'm really proud of you."
I'm confused. "Why?"
"Because you made your home a safe environment for your dad and made him feel welcome in your home. He had a chance to enjoy the Chicken and what could be better than that?"
My relationship with my dad definitely had peaks and valleys but the Rabbi was right....we had recently hit a peak.
Before I knew it, I was yawning up a storm (imagine that? No sleep + pizza + beer = tired VW). The Rabbi needed to get home to his wife and daughter.
"Are you going to speak at the services?" he asked.
"I gotta say something. I just have no idea."
"Do you need anything from me?"
"I just need one thing," I replied. "When I'm up there, I have no idea if I'm going to be able to get through what I have to say. I need you to watch me and if I get to a point where I can't continue, I need you to come up and read what I want to say."
"Of course."
Who knew that I would one day have a Rabbi for a Wingman?
The Rabbi knows that I don't really like physical contact but he gave me the obligatory man hug (that's a handshake, with the lean in, and a single-fist pump to the back) and headed back to his home in Encino.
I've got less than two days until the services and I have no idea what I'm going to say or how I'm going to say it. I want to try to avoid it but I may have to just phone this one in.
VW
This time, it's the Rabbi.
He's at his in-laws and asks if I've eaten today.
I don't remember if I have or not.
He tells me that he'll be over in about an hour with a pizza and some beer. I hadn't thought about food all day and all he has to do is say "pizza and beer" and I'm starving.
Nobody calls for me during this time and I'm done making phone calls tonight. I just want to watch some baseball now. The Rabbi and I share a Rotisserie baseball team and we've owned it since 1990 or 1991. Our team has pretty much sucked most of the year but for whatever reason, we're having a pretty decent week.
Not that it matters.
The Rabbi arrives with a cheese pizza and some dark beer. The Commander decides to take the Chicken out for a bit.
How fun! A Man Date.
The Rabbi has actually started performing some rabbinical duties...including being with families that are dealing with a death of a loved one. But this time it is a little different.
Because we've been friends for almost 15 years and because he knew my dad a little bit.
The Rabbi tells a story about how long it took him to realize how tall my dad was. Most of the time that the Rabbi would come over, my dad would be in a recliner while watching tv in the dark. The glow of the tv would reflect off of the scotch on the rocks that my dad would be drinking. Our joke was that you wouldn't even know that he was asleep or not until you heard the ice cubes jingling.
Anyway, it was probably years before my dad met the Rabbi in a vertical position. He couldn't believe it took him so long to realize what a big guy he was.
We eat pizza and beer and curse our rotisserie team. I still think we have a chance to win but the Rabbi won't get his hopes up.
He brings the conversation back to my dad. "I've got to tell you. I'm really proud of you."
I'm confused. "Why?"
"Because you made your home a safe environment for your dad and made him feel welcome in your home. He had a chance to enjoy the Chicken and what could be better than that?"
My relationship with my dad definitely had peaks and valleys but the Rabbi was right....we had recently hit a peak.
Before I knew it, I was yawning up a storm (imagine that? No sleep + pizza + beer = tired VW). The Rabbi needed to get home to his wife and daughter.
"Are you going to speak at the services?" he asked.
"I gotta say something. I just have no idea."
"Do you need anything from me?"
"I just need one thing," I replied. "When I'm up there, I have no idea if I'm going to be able to get through what I have to say. I need you to watch me and if I get to a point where I can't continue, I need you to come up and read what I want to say."
"Of course."
Who knew that I would one day have a Rabbi for a Wingman?
The Rabbi knows that I don't really like physical contact but he gave me the obligatory man hug (that's a handshake, with the lean in, and a single-fist pump to the back) and headed back to his home in Encino.
I've got less than two days until the services and I have no idea what I'm going to say or how I'm going to say it. I want to try to avoid it but I may have to just phone this one in.
VW
posted by JVW at 8:19 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home