100+100= ?
April, 1921 was a most significant month. Not only was the annual tuition at Harvard University $200 and gasoline 11¢ per gallon but two bouncing baby boys were born who would be called “amazing”.
One hundred years later, on April 8, 2021 the same two had lunch together, gobbling up chicken parmigiano, drinking cocktails and cappuccino in a fancy New York Italian restaurant. One (Gerry) born April 8, 1921 and the other, Jimmy (me) born on April 3,1921, had entered the first grade of St. Paul the Apostle grammar school together in 1927 and would be fellow students for 8 years of instruction under the Sisters of the Holy Cross from Notre Dame, Indiana.
They taught us to read and write and compute and more importantly how to manage the mysteries of life. They taught us the apparently simple but enormously practical habit of “offering it up” whereby setbacks or crosses would become not mere agonies simply to be endured like animals but vehicles of grace transforming the negatives of life into pure spiritual gold.
On our lunch day, Gerry’s remarkable nephew set up our luncheon which meant a three hour drive to NYC and then three hours back for our two hour historic meal. Gerry hadn’t been out of his room for over a year but by Pete’s “adroit” words the staff was persuaded to release Gerry for the day so that he could get some new evaluation from a “Doctor” in New York.
The “Doctor”of course was Jim (me) though I have no medical degree, I am a licensed Doctor of Psychology. So, I, with a strong background in theology, offered Gerry psychological support mixed with heavy doses of the spiritual which we both share.
Gerry has lost a large part of his right leg, he has macular degeneration, his hearing is seriously impaired and he suffers from serious diabetes. But his spirits are jolly, his heart is loving and he loves a good joke. He has served his country with a stint in a war time era, merited an MBA degree to enhance his successful career and buried himself in his work. He never married preferring to pour his energies into a business career.
I never married either because I became a priest. It is another example to ask why God chose me instead of an obviously better type guy. Why not Gerry? I am from vaudeville where we were irreverent about everything. So, our luncheon was allegedly to give Gerry a chance to get “out”of the hospital for a day but it made me more humble..to realize that God has His own ideas…
Still, it was a most unusual experience, one to be cherished, if tucked away until it is taken out again and savored. Two old guys. Centenarians. Rare today but even so it can be a reason for some more learning about what it all means.