THE BIG STAGE

I have often written in the past about MMB (My Man Bill) who understood what being a good neighbor meant, who practiced good Christian values without wearing them on his sleeve, and there is so much more I could write about him, all good.

Bill and his wife Carol gave the world two beautiful children, and one of them last night brought back Bill in a very special way. When Bill passed a few years ago, the family: Carol his wonderful wife, and Christina his beautiful daughter and Bill his amazing son, kept their lives together with dignity, pride, and continued on. Nothing in this world had to be different, or bad, or indifferent. Instead Carol took her two kids and made them aware that life does go on, and that their dad never really left them.

Last evening, (Saturday) TLW (The Little Woman) and I had the honor of being invited to a fund-raiser for Sachem North High School. The Broadway hit ‘Hairspray’ was the production, and I personally think the kids were really seasoned veteran actors straight off of Broadway who really performed. That was no way a group of 16-17-or 18 year-olds were performing, doing costumes or set building. They were incredible and I do not exaggerate. The orchestra pit was alive too with talent so rich I am glad I pay school taxes!

But under normal conditions I wouldn’t have been there if it weren’t for a very rightfully proud mom. Carol alerted me that Bill her son had worked on the set of the show, and would I like to go to the show and see it.

I used to call Bill: Billy, to distinguish him from his dad, now I call him Bill, because he showed me something. His dad would have been very proud of him last night had he been there. His dad would always be busy, fixing, cleaning, building, and making the rest of the neighborhood husbands look bad. He had this love of working with his hands and passed it on to his son. His son Bill has embraced it like it is his mistress.

The sets were professionally built, the workmanship and planning very Broadway, but very Bill. The Dad was a humble man, generous, and industrious, and always friendly, like a good neighbor.

As I watched the production, I kept thinking about Bill Sr., and how proud he must be right now, his spirit lingering right next to Bill Jr., and I bet Dad is calling his son: ‘Bill’.

P.S. At the top of this Blogue under the head is a little orange field with a ‘B’ in it. Next to it is a box, and if you type in ‘MMB’ you will come up with stories about MMB.