On Getting Old -- 44

Some days the path of life is strewn with boulders. After completing my workout – usually do about two miles on the cross trainer and some weight training – I came home to bad news. Rosemary told me that Dennis a friend from high school called about the passing of one of the guys we went to school with.

I called Dennis immediately. He told me that a fellow basketball player, Phil Skilnik, from Gordon Tech. passed away.

About a year ago I met up with Phil at a GT outing at Arlington Park. Before that day I’d not seen Phil in almost fifty years. We chatted about old times. Phil was such a nice guy.

Phil became the president of Gordon Tech. H.S. and had great plans for the future of the school. He wanted to get the alumni more involved. I spoke with Phil a few weeks ago at the annual GT golf outing. He looked terrific.

All the more reason I was so floored when I heard of his demise. Phil came down to breakfast on Friday morning complaining that he wasn’t feeling well. A little while later he dropped dead of a heart attack. Phil was 69 years old.

Rosemary and I paid our respects at his wake and returned home. While reading my emails I discovered my cousin, Bob, was diagnosed with lung cancer. He is just a few months older than I. Another shock for the day.

The day’s events made me think more about the fate we all must face. Our mortality comes to the forefront of our mind. These occurrences do not make finding the daily candy easy.

The candy today comes from the past – from the memories of the good times we shared with our fellow travelers through life – the sight of Phil soaring high to gather a rebound in a basketball game; the day I stood alongside my cousin Bob when he was married.

Today’s candy is not so sweet.

Ciao