Filing Systems

He was not much for organization or order.  So one of my 'early jobs' was to help him at his pub by filing his invoices.  I remember there being so much paper, it was both piled in messy clumps and scattered about all over his office.  They were from so many different vendors....like the one above.  Instant Whip.  I did this for him for years because his lack of neatness was never to change.  I see the trucks of the different vendors driving around town a lot, it's funny the things you remember.  

Gadzooks

Friends lit up a BBQ and I just took a random shot of the flames.  Its the same type of old-school grill he would use back in the day.  He would cook up these delicious steaks that he got from his dad.  He wasn't a cook....but he could grill.  We would sit out there and watch him do it and just hang with him.  One time when we were quite young, he picked up the tongs and they (evidently) were burning hot, because he dropped them quickly, yelling "GADZOOKS!!"  This was his way of cursing. From then on, we thought tongs were actually called 'gadzooks' and that is what we call them to this day.  

Russell Stovers Part Two

It gets even more serious....if I brought him a box of candy, he would say "did you get the right kind?"  Meaning, it could not be RS Cremes (seen in the picture below, bottom left) or God forbid it was "sugar free" (seen in the picture below, bottom right)....it had to be this version (seen above).  The kind that had nuts, caramel and some other non fancy chocolate candies.  The last time I brought him a box, he was sick.  He ate them very slowly, and the box lasted far too long by his standards.  And yes even then he asked, while trying to open it "did you get the right kind?"  I'll never forget his disappointment when I told him RS was RED, but I cut us both slack on that one.

This is the first post that has made me smile while typing it.

Russell Stovers

Tonight I had to run into a random grocery store to pick up a few quick things.  I was sort of out of it, because I had just left an event where I had to speak of him, and what he meant to me.  I had a runny nose and puffy eyes as I wandered through the store, down this random aisle.  I just happened to look over to my left, and there it was....the Russell Stovers jack pot.  He loooovved this chocolate.  He told me over and over how it was the best, bar NONE, chocolate.  He would literally turn his nose up at Godiva, and Whitmans was a joke to him.  This was it, the best, hands down.  It was a ritual for him at Christmas time to get some for himself and pretend it was a gift in his stocking.  Then he would get us each our own.  And he'd tell us when we opened them, "if you need any help with that, let me know" and he would giggle at himself like it was the funniest joke in the history of the world.

I do.

Yesterday I was walking and thinking I should just take a picture of what is in front of me, because I think of him even when no reminders surface.  I could just take a picture of the air in front of me.  Tonight, walking home, I encountered this random sign....I have no idea what it is for, but naturally, I thought of him.  I remember him all the minutes of all the days....

For Thou Art With Me

So I'm at the cathedral, just wondering around.  I make my way into a very random back room that I have never seen or been in before.  I walk down to the end of the walkway  and there are three tiny pews with a bible on a stand at the front.  I walk up to it.  It's turned to the 23rd Psalm. The Lord is my Shepherd.  I read it, slightly aloud, and I swear when I turned to leave I could visualize him there standing across from me.  If only.

Best Of

This was just named best Irish Bar in DC.  Back in the day he had a partnership that included three Irish bars....this one was the original.  Back then, it was under a different name.  What I remember most, not having gone to this one very often, is the front window mini-stage.  I like to think that he and his partner helped set this place up for "Best Irish Bar in DC."  

Negro League Day

He enjoyed me taking a great deal of pleasure and interest in the annual salute to the Negro Leagues.  Today was the day, and it was beautiful.  Our team won, and he was in my thoughts throughout the entire afternoon.  I so wanted to call him to share all the little details.  Yes dad, the crowd was diverse.