2 From the moment we walked in there was love everywhere. The altar had autumn flowers, candles and even pumpkins.
3 The choir director from St. Dunstan's was not only there, but she also had an operatic voice that would make angels cry.
4 My niece Amy read some passages from the Bible, and my daughter Nicole read a piece that Amy wrote years ago. My nephew Michael talked about the experience of going to a Niner game at Candlestick, including a bit about how awesome the mortadella sandwiches were going to be. Nailed it. He confessed in the end that he realized after his first bite that he didn't like mortadella.
5 My Dad was a signaler in the Coast Guard, and my sister brought the Coast Guard in to play Taps. They folded the flag and presented it to me. I held it proudly to my heart as Taps played.
6 The priest then told the story of how Dad had worked for Wonder Bread, which I always loved, and later tied it in with Jesus and the bread of life. I tied it in my own head with The Wonder Years.
7 My sister Gayle's good friend Lisa wrote and presented a lovely piece entitled The Home on Helen Drive, opening the door for everyone there to enter our loving past. We would all exit the church and go there after Mass for the celebration of not only Dad's, but of all of our lives. It warmed everyone's hearts. So eloquent and beautiful.
8 I followed Lisa. By happenstance, I wrote a piece about Helen Drive as well. I prefaced by first explaining that as a former show director, I knew you should never follow babies or dogs on stage. I had to add Lisa to that group. I also had to correct the priest, who said that my parents had always attended St. Robert's Church. "Father, they began attending St. Robert's only when you named the church after my Dad," I said.
9 Here's the poem I wrote all those years ago:
---
1
my Dad
had a shoeshine kit
that snapped shut
with one of those suitcase
latches
it had a wooden
thing shaped like a foot
and you would put
your shoe on it.
Inside was the usual
for those days
one can of brown polish
another of black,
a small brush with a
handle for applique,
a soft brush
for buffing
and finally, a small
buffing rag
which he would fluff
and shimmy across
his shoes until
they shone
"Be sure to always do the back,"
he would say
"because in the Army, you'll
have two minutes to
get this done, and
they'll look at the backs."
He would then deposit
a very clean spit
right in the middle
of his shoe,
the crowning glory
to a job well-done.
2
We would walk down Helen Drive
to Church on Sundays
past the shrubberies
and garden hoses,
until we arrived at the front
of St. Dunstan's
(or was it the back? I always wondered
where the front of the Church was)
On entering I would
dip my hand on a little
blue sponge, which was
inside a sort of
white sea shell
and do the sign of
the Cross, because the
sponge was blessed.
we would walk past
the table
and through the second set of doors
where
the air of tabernacle
and Eucharist
would make me solemn.
A long red carpet
led up to
either the front
or the back
of the Church
where an enormous
crucifix
hung breathlessly
beneath two lights
I remember kneeling down
and looking up
wondering how tall the
crucifix
was
I figured Jesus
could probably have
easily been able
to slam dunk
a basketball
but those are things
that go on in your
mind when you are
ten
in Church.
3
The Collection was
one of my favorite
moments
because my Dad
would be one of the
guys who would
pass around
the basket
and damned if his
shiny shoes
didn't work
perfectly on the
red carpet.
4
I always loved
wondering what color robes
the priest would wear
because they all
stood for things.
5
At the altar
red and white robed
choirboys
would carry tall
brass things
like crosses
and candle-snuffers
and bells
that when
rung gently
meant you had to
bow your head
and pat
your heart
with your
right fist.
6
Communion.
7
We would take
the long walk
back up Helen Drive
my shoes scuffed
Dad's
as pristine
as when we left
and the sun shone
on our shoes
and our souls
never realizing
the importance
of
a long walk
home
from Church.
10 The Mass finished, and the Father's last words were that we were all to meet afterwards at the Home on Helen Drive.
10 The Mass finished, and the Father's last words were that we were all to meet afterwards at the Home on Helen Drive.
11 The rest was all family, laughs, loves, music and tears.
12 And it is all now a Wondrous blur.
13 One thing is sure: The Home on Helen worked its magic one more time.
14 At one point I looked at the Hill across the street, and at the clouds dancing in the afternoon sky.
15 It all worked. I'm quite certain that Dad has joined Mom and everyone he ever loved, and that they sent their grace and love from the highest realm.
16 Gottago.
17 I have, after all, a saloon to run.
18 See you again.
19 Peace.
12 And it is all now a Wondrous blur.
13 One thing is sure: The Home on Helen worked its magic one more time.
14 At one point I looked at the Hill across the street, and at the clouds dancing in the afternoon sky.
15 It all worked. I'm quite certain that Dad has joined Mom and everyone he ever loved, and that they sent their grace and love from the highest realm.
16 Gottago.
17 I have, after all, a saloon to run.
18 See you again.
19 Peace.
~H~
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