Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Hearts and Humor – A Michael Smith Column

Feb 14, 2007

Hello, my wonderful readers.

    Today's story is quite long. I'm sorry about that.

This is the story I have been bubbling to tell for weeks.

    Before the story, I have sad news to share with you.
   
Some of you will remember the story I wrote about my little

canine friend back in Canada. His name was Cody-Joe.

If you missed the story, you can read it here:

http://archives. zinester. com/86758/117370.html

Remove the spaces from the link to view. Zinester is

being blocked by a lot of internet providers - mainly

AOL.

     Cody-Joe's mom emailed me the other day. Little
    
Cody-Joe fought a long battle with heart problems. His

battle ended on 2/8/2007. A wonderful friend and pet

is no longer with us. Bill and Liz are terribly upset

over their loss. If you'd like to send them a note of

condolence, please email to: kelkat@rogers.com

I'm sure they could use a few words of comfort.

    I love your comments. Please send them to:

mtsmith @ qwestonline.com (Remember to remove the spaces)

I received some wonderful responses to my story called,

"The Lady I Spend Lunch With." It seems I fooled a lot

of you. Smiling here. I've posted some comments after the

story.

    Now for today's story.
   
    Mike

            Jack and Jack Went Over the Hill

    It was 1951. A young Jack Rose became a member of an activated
   
reserve unit in The Air National Guard of the United States -

abbreviated AGNUS - stationed in Boston, Massachusetts.

    Jack Rose met a fellow serviceman named Jack Ravech, a Boston
   
resident. They quickly became friends, shared laughs over beers,

and wondered when and where they would be shipped. Jack Ravech

treated Jack Rose like family. He even invited him to his parent's

home when they had leave together.

    Overseas, the US Military was engaged in the Korean Conflict.
   
Jack Rose was shipped out and never saw his friend Jack Ravech again.

            *****************************

    "Brent, Dan, Lawrence, Mike," our manager said to us. We were
   
four new and nervous employees, hired as technicians in the

telecommunications industry, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

"Welcome to the company." He gave us a brief description of our

duties and introduced us to the other employees. Near the back of

the office, busy working on the phone, was a short balding man.

"Jack," our manager asked, "Do you have a minute to meet our new

members?"

    Jack smiled and put the phone down. "Sure."

    "Gentlemen, this is Jack Rose."

    I shook hands with him. "Nice to meet you, Mike." he said.

    I worked with Jack a few times in the following couple of years,
   
but I was just a kid, more than thirty years his junior. He had

no interest in me as a friend.

    Over the years, Jack sensed my willingness to learn and

became my mentor, patiently sharing his wealth of knowledge  and

teaching me the fine points of installing and testing new circuits.

    Jack's wife of many years passed away in the early 1990's.
   
He continued working at our company for several more years before

deciding to retire. During those last few years, we worked close

together. We became friends. We golfed and played cards, darts,

or pool together. He used to complain, "Mike, every time we golf,

you manage to slice a ball into the woods, hit a tree and have it

bounce back onto the fairway! How in the heck do you do that?"

    After Jack's wife passed, my wife Georgia and I invited him
   
to our home often. Georgia and our kids soon loved him and looked

forward to his visits. He was part of our family.

    Jack didn't talk much about his past, but I did learn enough
   
to know he was born in the USA and was in the reserves during

the war.

    In 1996, I moved from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Saint John,
   
New Brunswick, Canada. Whenever I got home, I made sure to have

a game of golf with my old friend. We both sucked at the game,

but we always managed to have a good time.

    In 1999, I moved to Ohio. I've only seen Jack once since
   
then. Of course, we shared a few beers, a round of golf, and

a lot of laughs.

    We've talked on the phone a few times, but in the last
   
few years, his hearing deteriorated to the point where the

phone is no longer an option for him. I missed talking to my

 friend.

    A couple years ago, my Mum was playing in a card tournament.
   
She and her partner moved to a new table. One of their opponents

was a bald gentleman. Mum heard his name. "My son talks about

a friend of his named Jack Rose. Could that be you?"

    Mum learned Jack had a computer and got his email address.
   
Jack and I have been emailing each other ever since.

    Jack sent me an email a few months ago. "Mike, I had a
   
friend when I was in the reserves. He was from the Boston area

and treated me well while I was there. He even invited me to his

home. I got shipped out and never saw him again. It's been more

than fifty years since I've talked to him. Somehow I always

felt like he wanted to be friends, but I pushed back. I've

always wanted to let him know I'm sorry. I don't have much time

left. Before I go, I'd love to contact him again. His name was

Jack Ravech. He was Jewish. You mentioned once that you knew

some Jewish people down there. Maybe you could ask them if they

know him."

    I laughed at the last line. Apparently all Jewish people
   
know each other.

    My friend needed a favor. Jack did so much for me over the
   
years. I finally had a chance to return his kindness and

friendship.

     I went to whitepages.com, typed in Jack Ravech and selected
    
Massachusetts. One name popped up. I couldn't believe it. I did

a second search  - this time including the whole USA. Only one

name popped up. I looked up the town he lived in. It was just

outside Boston. I looked at Ginny, "Hun, this is amazing. Could

it be him after more than fifty years?"

    I called the number and got an answering machine. I left a
   
message. "Ginny, this is exciting. Just imagine. These two haven't

talked in all this time. Wouldn't it be amazing if it's him?"

    More than two weeks passed without a return call. My hopes
   
faded. One day at work, my cell phone rang.

    "Hello." I answered.

    "Is this Mike Smith?" an aged voice asked.

    "Yes." I replied.

    "This is Jack Ravech. You left me a message a while back."

    I raised myself from my chair. "I sure did."

    "I remember Jack Rose well. We used to call him the kid,
   
because he was so young. I always wondered what happened to

him."

    I learned Jack Ravech was visiting his daughter in Texas. 
   
He got my message when he called home to check his messages.

He didn't catch all of it, so he sent his other daughter, who

lives near him to go to his house and retrieve the message.

    I gave him Jack Rose's number. He said he would call him
   
when he returned to Boston in about three weeks.

    "Three weeks!" I looked at Ginny. "Hun, he said they called
   
Jack Rose 'The Kid' back then. He's eighty now. If he's eighty,

just how old is Jack Ravech? I don't think he should wait that

long to call. What if something happens to one of them before

then?"

    I didn't tell Jack Rose I found his friend. I wanted him
   
to be surprised. I was a nervous wreck waiting. He'd  emailed me

a few weeks later, "Mike, don't bother. It's too much trouble

for you."

    I had to tell a white lie, "Jack, I think I may have found
   
the guy, but I haven't heard anything back yet. Maybe he's out

of town or something."

    One night, my phone rang. "Mike?"

    "Yes?"

    "This is Jack Ravech. I have been trying to call Jack Rose,
   
but no one answers."

    I confirmed he had the correct number. "Jack, it could be
   
he can't hear the phone. His hearing isn't very good. Do you have

email? You do? Great! Here's Jack Rose's email address."

    The next day I received this email from Jack Rose commenting
   
on being in contact with his friend again and about how I hid

the fact I found him.

    This is the email I received:

You devil.

    You know you made kind of an odd comment now that I remember.
    
It should have tipped me off, but of course I wouldn't really

know the whole story until the end. I know he's married now, but 

not much else so far. It will be fifty-four years since I talked

to him or maybe a bit longer. It will be interesting to hear his

history. We didn't get much further than the hello stage yet.

Jack Rose

    For the last couple of weeks, they've been sharing emails

and catching up on more than fifty years of lost time.

    Jack and Jack went over the hill and now they're back together
   
and I'm smiling.

Michael T. Smith

Feel free to share my stories, but please include the link for

more people to join our family.

To read more of my stories go to:

http://archives. zinester. com/86758/

Remove the spaces from the link to view. Zinester is

being blocked by a lot of internet providers - mainly

AOL.

    Now for some wonderful comments about my story called:
   
"The Lady I Spend Lunch With."

From our wonderful friend Glenda:

I love this story and even more I LOVE THE TWO OF YOU TOO!!!! 

I knew Ginny was in it somewhere, just had to be patient

until the end.  I'm so lucky to have you in my life.
 
I so wish I had the kind of love the two of you have in

my life again.  I had it for 25 years and sometimes still

feel Bobby's arms around me.

Love and Hugs
Glenda

**************************

 Love, love, love that one!
 
 Liz (Cody-Joe's Mom)
 
**************************

I have never written before, but had to this time. I really

like reading your stories, even those you write in response

to the contest.  I thought you did very well in your Raggedy

Ann story.  I especially liked today's story.  I have read

enough of your writings to know how much you love your wife

and wondered just who might be your lunch time companion. 

Even thought it might be a blind person  whom you liked and

admired, but couldn't hug due to your love for your wife and

your convictions regarding marriage.  I really should have

guessed you were on the phone, but the thought never entered

my mind.   You are both very lucky to have found great love

again and to appreciate the love you have for each other.

Margaret

******Note from me. Thank you, Margaraet. I hoped to fool my readers.

I think I pulled it off.

**************************

This is another wonderful comment sent to me by Sue.

These are the comments that keep me writing. It tells me

I'm doing the right thing.

  ***
I was very touched and moved while reading your story and

assuming you were spending your lunchtime with a blind helpless

woman friend. I was amazed at the honest care and love that

this act holds, and I felt there should be more of this in

our world; after all, friendships are special gifts from God.

But when I found out that your lunch date was your wife, and

taking place on your cell made your amazing story of caring

& love that much more special… for as awesome as loving

friendships are, marriages full of such love are certainly

cherished gifts from above as well. What a fantastic example

to husbands everywhere! God bless you!!!

 
Sincerely,
Sue

*********************

From a former cowoker and friend:

Wow!  Real deep love!

Laura