My Real Memoir
Suddenly, without realizing it, I acquired a third BFF. Unthinkable! Oh, I’d had good friends before, lots of them. Even some temporary BFs like my “Fatman and Ribbon” cohort Fred, unwitting host of the infamous “IHeardThereWasAnOrgyAtFred’sHouse” party. But so far that second F in BFF (as in “forever”) had only been granted to my childhood buddies Rory and Jeff. Heck, Jeff even had the two Fs enshrined in his name! (Although his mother insisted she’d given them to him before I arrived.)
Serving as prisoners-of-war, even if only in a high school play, had a profound bonding effect on us. I knew almost immediately that Marc would be my new BFF. And I was right. Besides…
He’d lived an epic life! Or rather his parent had. I was awestruck when I learned how, after secretly watching the Nazis murder her family, his mother had escaped from Poland in a makeshift hammock underneath a train! And how, later in London, she’d met and married Marc’s father, also a Polish Jew. Ironically, freedom-fighter-turned-movie-actor Mr. Richonne had been cast as a Nazi in a string of WWII films. But, he proudly explained, his movies had played a vital role in sustaining the British war effort. Epic indeed!
It was music that sealed the deal. During play rehearsals, Marc and I had discovered we both played guitar, so we started practicing together nearly every day after school. For a time, that meant jumping into Marc’s finless, unsexy old Chevy Bel Air, stopping at the supermarket, and then heading over to his house. As a prelude to rocking out, we’d fix ourselves a “snack” made up of two half-pound patty melts and a half-package of Kraft Mac-and-Cheese—each. Somehow, we didn’t morph into zitty little blimps. Well, OK, zitty, but not blimps. Through the miracle of teenage-boymones, we’d burn it all off by dinnertime. Of course, practicing our rock star moves helped, too.
Marc’s House became my second home, his parents the unofficial den parents of our first band and our second life-changing band The Daily Planet. From Marc’s parents I learned a smattering of Yiddish (“Oy!” still pops out whenever I’m annoyed or amused), and to love kosher. My mouth still waters for a real bagel and schmear (real bagels are so dense they’ll break your toe if you drop one on it). Oh, yeah, and a big bowl of borscht, afloat with a whole buncha sour cream!
I still love cheese. And Marc. And even though our own kids are grown now, those years of cheddar cheese and rock ‘n’ roll…
Are burned into my heart forever.
My Real Memoir is a series. To read the next one, click here.
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I thought of borscht over the weekend, but I’ll probably wait until late autumn to assemble a batch. (So, I was making my every breakfast pickled beets.)
Funny, I hated beets as a kid. Until I discovered borscht. And then, later, beets on salads. Somehow those little red roots took root in my heart.
Oh, the first time I had beets (and goat cheese) was on a salad, 60th birthday, get this: Hot Spring, SD, of all places!
Hot Springs, SD, the French Riviera of the Plains?
You can never have too many friends like Marc, but you can eat too many beets! 🙂
What wonderful, fun memories!!! Thank you for sharing them with us!
My pleasure, Jill!
Such great memories, Mitch, and I bet you still keep in touch with those BFF’s.
I do indeed, Kellye.
I overdosed on Kraft Mac-and-Cheese when I was a kid. I can’t stand the stuff anymore. Great friends you can never have enough.
Amen to friends, Kevin. Re. Mac ‘n’ Cheese: Still love it, but I outgrew Kraft and graduated to the good stuff.
Lulu: “Mmmm, cheese ……”
Amen, Lulu.
3 BFF’s? Oy, vey! (I say that too much)! Your pics, and how you describe your amazing life and memories, also give me joy, Mitch! Here’s to friends, cheese, and Rock ‘n’ Roll! Very cool 😎!
3 – too much? I’ve probably got at least 8 now, Karla, each of whom has been a best friend at some point in my life and remains a “BFF emeritus.” My wife has held the #1 position longest, 38+ years.
I’m so glad you find joy in these posts, dear friend!
Aww! It’s so awesome to have such great BFF~and your one of 38 years the best! I know many people, but like you, I have 8-10 that have been the real deals! You’re an inspiration, dear friend!
Likewise, Karla. But I’m sure you know that.
Oy veh, you’re making me hungry!
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