Charlie and I met as sophomores in high school in Cicero, Illinois. We had attended different Jr. Highs, a number of them graduating to our high school. We luckily had several classes together, Physics, English, and a Math class Senior year. We hung around a lot with our small group of 4 or 5 of us, playing softball several evenings per week. Charlie was a scholar; I was not. His grades were impeccable; mine were not. I married at 23, and left Chicago area in 1972, at age 30. He remained in Chicago his entire life. We kept in touch, I in Nevada, and he visited us there once or twice, again in Colorado.....in touch via letters perhaps several times per year. He married around 40; during their first year his wife suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and suddenly died. He was devastated. He inherited her condo, still has it. for 20+ years he has spent time with a retired schoolteacher 3 years his senior; they visited us in Missouri in the 2000s, here in Arizona several times after that, were booked to fly out last April, but flights were cancelled due to the pandemic. Flights have resumed now, and they booked for this Friday, the 23rd. Today I learned Sandy has balked, and will not accompany him. She being excessively possessive, we fear they experienced a serious misunderstanding, as he intends to come out alone. We are not sure how much to intervene, but as things stand, he will arrive Friday morning, staying at the Riverside Hotel, which subsidized the flight. He turned down my offer to stay at our place. Charlie & I were born the same year and month, 5 days apart; he's 5 days younger, feels certain this will be the last time we will see each other. Having had his share of health issues, prostate cancer and kidney stones several years back, he feels greatly indebted to Sandy, who cared for him during his illnesses. I am obviously both incredibly glad he's coming out (trips for me are no longer an option because of kidney dialysis), and seriously sad to imagine this will be a "lifetime closing". No one else has remained my friend this long. If such exists, Charlie has a "heart of gold"! Frank
How long will he stay Frank ? While I have your attention - you mentioned an old film (couple of years back) I managed to get the film on you tube, this morning I'm trying to recollect the title. The scene I recall was of little boys, brothers - and you liked the scene with the Father on the railway. Could you let me know the title again .......
@Patsy Faye The casino-sponsored flights are the only passenger flights to Laughlin, Nevada. As such, aimed at securing gaming income, they are rather rigidly imposed. Charlie's flight arrives Friday morning, Oct. 23, and leaves Mon day morning, Oct. 26. Should he desire to stay longer, it would require booking a flight out of Las Vegas, 125 miles to the north. The sponsored flights here are very reasonable, some actually free, based on history of the individual's gambling habits. "The Fighting Sullivans, originally released as The Sullivans, is a 1944 American biographical war film directed by Lloyd Bacon and written by Edward Doherty, Mary C. McCall Jr., and Jules Schermer. It was nominated for a now-discontinued Academy Award for Best Story. "The story follows the lives of the five Irish-American Sullivan brothers, who grew up in Iowa during the days of the Great Depression and served together in the United States Navy during World War II." The Irish-American Catholic Sullivan brothers are introduced through a progression of baptisms: George Thomas in 1914, Francis "Frank" Henry in 1916, Joseph "Joe" Eugene in 1918, Madison "Matt" Abel in 1919, and Albert "Al" Leo in 1922 in their hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. There is also a sister, Genevieve, nicknamed "Gen", making the Sullivans a happy family of eight. Based on the apparent ages of the boys, the first part of the plot occurs in the late 1920s. As the boys grow, they are doted upon by their mother and Gen and given stern but loving guidance by their father, who is a railroad freight conductor. Each day, the boys climb the water tower by the tracks and wave to their father as he passes by on the train. The brothers are shown getting into their fair share of trouble growing up: a fight, a near drowning (after which their mother makes them promise not to set foot on a boat again until they are adults), and accidentally flooding the kitchen." "The brothers insist that they serve on the same ship, but the recruiting officer, LCDR Robinson (played by Ward Bond), states that the Navy can make no such guarantees. The brothers leave, but later, George receives his draft notice, and writes to the Navy Department, obtaining official permission for the boys to serve together. Later, Tom, Alleta, and Katherine Mary eagerly await letters from their loved ones, who are serving aboard USS Juneau in the Pacific. A battle rages off the Solomon Islands, and one day, Juneau is hit. Four of the brothers find each other, then realize that George is below in sick bay. They rush down to get him, the ship continuing to be battered by explosions, and when George insists they leave him behind, Al replies, "We can't go swimming without you." There is a large explosion and the screen fades to black, insinuating that Juneau has been sunk and all the brothers killed." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fighting_Sullivans The closing scene showing the boy's father on his freight train looking up at the water tower from which his five boys had always waved to him in their youth was one of the most, to me, heart-wrenching scenes I've ever seen in a movie. The entire story is true. The father was superbly played by Thomas Mitchell. Frank
Thanks Frank - I had tears reading the above, I remember it well now, a very good but sad film The whole cast were superb too
@Frank Sanoica, Friendships of this nature are rare. There was a time I might have envied you. Enjoy what you can. Life is short.
I was fortunate enough to have had two BFFs. The first was at age 4. His mom had a good job at Westinghouse but in 1948 there were no day care centers. He lived with us five days a week until the end of 3rd grade. At that time, his mom trusted him enough to take the trolley to and from school and so he returned to his home on the west side. Billy was so good-hearted. We remained close until age 42 when he passed due to an idiopathic heart. The second began in 3rd grade. We lived in the same 'hood on the east side, went to the same schools thru college, were often in the same classes, even served in the same Natl. Guard unit. People used to say that we were joined at the hip. We stayed close for 66 years when he passed due to pulmonary carcinoma.
My oldest and best friend and I were playmates from infancy on. We went through school together and roomed together our freshman year in college. Later we didn't see each other for 21 years. No falling out or anything, just drifted apart. Then we reconnected and it was like old times. We've been through widowhood together and got even closer. Although we live far apart, we get together as often as possible and are planning a girls' trip to London as soon as possible.
I have 1 life long true friend. We met in high school and she's been my wife for 62 years. She's in failing health now and I'm doing the best I can to take care of her.
Starting this thread up again. My high school friend and I have gotten together a few times since. She was one of my brides maids in my first wedding. Anyway last Christmas she sent me a Christmas card that said she'd be coming up to visit this year because she and her hubby had retired. He from an airline so they got free stand-by flights. Welllll, last month I called and reminded her that she said she'd be coming up and I had been sitting on my front stoop since then. I am getting up now cuz my butt's asleep. She said, they just got back from Scotland and would be coming in November. November?! There is nothing to do in Wisconsin in November. The beautiful leaves are almost all done and I am regravelling my driveway next week! What am I gonna do to entertain her?
I have the same situation with a friend I've known since 3rd grade. She keeps asking me to come visit (in Florida, only 300 miles away). I'm afraid we will run out of things to talk about in a couple of hours. And I'm afraid to invite her here for the same reason. We don't have much in common anymore. Just old times. I guess I could take them fishing. But my luck the fish wouldn't be biting that day.