Friday's w/Bobby Redux

Happy birthday my brother! I miss you everyday!!!

Today’s my buddy Bob Wallack’s birthday. So, I thought I’d repost this piece I wrote about him a year ago this past August. He died of lung cancer about 11 years ago. Damn I miss this guy!

Friday's w/Bobby Recollected

Bobby believed
staunchly 
in putting
carrots in meatloaf,
garlic in everything,
the more butter
the better, 
and salt,
lots of salt!

He grew up
within spitting distance
of Julia Child,
idolized her
and cast iron skillets
of any and every size.

Bobby manning the barbecue, circa 1983, give or take.

He loved Hersey bars
and barbeque,
cowboy hats 
and water sports, 
so he said.

He believed 
in blue jeans and bucks, 
but more strongly 
in the religion
of tie Weejuns,
gray flannel slacks,
crisp oxford cloth button downs,
bow ties and blue blazers,
always appropriate
for any occassion,
in his opinion.

Volvos reigned supreme,
no matter 
the model 
or vintage
or their condition,
was his conviction.

He loved
winter car rides 
filled with a mix
of a little Camel smoke,
a faint whiff of gasoline, 
worn leather seats
and a hint of weed 
wafting through,
Paul Simon 
or Diana Krall 
waxing on 
in the background.

With his P1800 hugging low
and tight in the turns
of the two-lane backroads 
between Amesbury and Exeter,
it was mostly just quiet time together,
little needed to be said,
the brotherly silence
understood and respected.

Along the way to Exeter, NH, from Amesbury, MA.

Friday counter lunch
of chowder, coffees to go,
a walk to campus
for a quick stroll 
through their art gallery,
solely to see 
a Picasso for free.

Heading back South, 
Fall colors streak by, 
an occasional glimpse
of the shimmering surface 
of Lake Attitash
flickering through
the increasingly 
bare trees.

Carriage Town, 
always calm and quiet,
narrow streets lined
with old brick mill buildings
and bisected by
the Powwow River
flowing under 
the roundabout
in the center
of town.

Down the street’s
where Bobby’d park 
before heading 
back to his office
at The Amesbury News.

We’d just look 
at each other
and smile:

"Nice lunch!"

"Indeed!"