Losing a friend
I recently lost a very good friend. He was my ex-Brother-in-law. He was born about a year after me. For what ever reason, nature decreed he should be a Down's syndrome child. Mentally he never progressed beyond the age of about 12.
And as much as I didn't particularly like his Mother, she gets multitudes of brownie points for not shuffling him off to an institution. Which was the common thing to do in that day.
I don't think he ever met someone he didn't like. If he didn't know you he would just march up and introduce himself, never mind if the person was put off or uncomfortable, he still liked you.
He was a character. He loved the Beatles and Charley McCarthy (Edgar Bergen's ventriloquist dummy). He formed his own band with his nephews (a couple of generations worth) and they would sing their hearts out, with him the lead singer, usually off key and a bit behind the beat. But lots and lots of heart.
He was always gentle with his multitude of nieces and nephews when they were little and could rough house with the best of them as they grew older.
He was always falling in love and telling us he was going to marry the latest girl to catch his fancy. We would tell him he had to ask his mother's permission. The answer was always no, he would take it stride and go on to the next girl in about a week.
He had the deep child's faith in Christianity. No questions, now doubts. If there is a justification for Christianity, he was the closest I've ever come to a bona fide, true practicing Christian, in the sense the New Testament meant it.
I could go on for several more pages with "Freddy" tales, but it would probably bore you and make me miss him more.
So I commend Freddy's soul to what ever gods there may be and hope they will give the rewards and love he so richly deserved.
I'll Miss you Freddy.
And as much as I didn't particularly like his Mother, she gets multitudes of brownie points for not shuffling him off to an institution. Which was the common thing to do in that day.
I don't think he ever met someone he didn't like. If he didn't know you he would just march up and introduce himself, never mind if the person was put off or uncomfortable, he still liked you.
He was a character. He loved the Beatles and Charley McCarthy (Edgar Bergen's ventriloquist dummy). He formed his own band with his nephews (a couple of generations worth) and they would sing their hearts out, with him the lead singer, usually off key and a bit behind the beat. But lots and lots of heart.
He was always gentle with his multitude of nieces and nephews when they were little and could rough house with the best of them as they grew older.
He was always falling in love and telling us he was going to marry the latest girl to catch his fancy. We would tell him he had to ask his mother's permission. The answer was always no, he would take it stride and go on to the next girl in about a week.
He had the deep child's faith in Christianity. No questions, now doubts. If there is a justification for Christianity, he was the closest I've ever come to a bona fide, true practicing Christian, in the sense the New Testament meant it.
I could go on for several more pages with "Freddy" tales, but it would probably bore you and make me miss him more.
So I commend Freddy's soul to what ever gods there may be and hope they will give the rewards and love he so richly deserved.
I'll Miss you Freddy.