I keep thinking I’ll hear the phone ring, and it’ll be my next door neighbor Lou, calling about the latest neighborhood happenings.

“Hey, didja hear that the guy down the street put in a pool? Hey, didja hear that so-and-so moved to Florida?”

Lots of times I want to pick up the phone and call my neighbor of 45-plus years, and then I remember that the dear friend, Vietnam veteran, and all-around good guy, lost his last battle the end of October 2021. Miss you Lou.

… Dad always dancing or singing every time Frank Sinatra came on.

He would grab each of his four daughters and have them dance with him at any event or just in the backyard. It must have brought him such happiness.

Our story began on a cold night in Toms River in 1992. I was a member of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronisms) and I heard that one of the households held fighter practice on Wednesday night at the Bus Parking Lot downtown so I decided to go with a friend. There was a guy there with his foot in a cast, chatting away with a group. He was tall, had brown hair but when he looked at me, I saw the most beautiful set of blue eyes. I was hooked. He smiled at me and I walked over to talk to him. He was charming but there was something about him that made me feel incredible. It took another year before we would share our first kiss at Lakewood Renaissance Fair and another five years before we got married in 1998. I will always remember his eyes because they would twinkle when he laughed and I could get lost in them easily. He was my soulmate and a true knight in shining armor. Now he wears the armor of angels in heaven but I know he is watching over our family; always vigilant and protective. Rest in Peace, my love.

My bother Barry loved to sit in the sun with his shirt off. We lived in a upper middle class neighborhood but he didn’t care, he would just sit in the sun sometimes on our front lawn. He loved the trees and the plants. He loved to swim in the ocean. His heart and soul belonged to nature. He grew up in the 60’s and 70’s he didn’t care much for rules.

As much as I loved that about him his philosophy didn’t always work in his favor. He didn’t care about a lot of things. One of those things was the severity of Covid. He didn’t wear a mask. He didn’t social distance. He went to AC at the height of the pandemic in vaccinated and he got Covid. He wasn’t in the best health begin with. Then he died. Covid took hold of his lungs and wouldn’t let go.

Rest In Peace my hippie bro, the sun and the trees will miss you I’m sure.

My sister Eileen had the most beautiful eyes. They were golden. Her eyes illuminated when you spoke to her, it was really amazing. Not only were her eyes gold her heart was too. She was special needs. She didn’t drive, or have many friends, she decorated her room with unicorns and rainbows at age 40. Her life was simple, she loved chocolate and anything mystical. Talking to her was like talking to a 10 year old. She was pure good. She would even give portion of her paycheck to St. Jude every holiday season.

My parents, me and my brothers fiercely protected her. She could have easily gone on disability but she choose not to. Despite all her challenges she had a job in a nursing home doing laundry for 20 years. It was a shitty gross job no one wanted. But she did it with pride. She would bring blankets to the sick and elderly. She had a purpose. She was happy.

The last Thursday in September 2011 my sweet wonderful Dad went to pick her up from work. As he did everyday because she didn’t drive. It was more important for her to have a purpose in life than the inconvenience of him driving her. He was a wonderful man and a caring and thoughtful father. While they were driving home they were hit by a massive handicap van. There was no time for my dad to switch lanes. They both died.

Not a day goes by that I don’t miss them both. The heavens gained two beautiful golden angels that day.