Friday, February 1, 2002

Dear LeRoy,

In coming up with ideas to make our page for your Kanreki Memory Book, it occurred to us:

  • We've heard many of your  fishing tales, even eaten some of your catches, but we've never gone fishing with you.

  • We've never ever played tennis with you.

  • We've never worked with you, either.  
    (If you'll remember, you were so high security, you couldn't talk to us about your work, otherwise, you'd have to kill us and we didn't want that...)

Yet we have a huge history together, as we've been together for many of the most special times in life. Just reviewing the last six months, we've been together at:

All we've ever done is "Eat, Drink, and Be Merry"  together!: 

  • We've gathered around many tables and said grace (yours at Thanksgiving some years ago stands out as the best), together.

  • We've piled our plates high and pigged out, together.

  • We've lifted our glasses and heartily toasted each other, together.

  • We' ve karaoked and sung our hearts out, together.

  • We've played games, together.

  • We've made total fools of ourselves, together.

  • We've saucered down a snow-covered hill, together.

  • We've hugged many times in greeting and in parting.

  • We've observed important life passages, together.

  • We've spent them with people we care about and love, together.

  • We've lived the best of life, together, celebrating it as friends and family.

We're a pretty hedonistic bunch, aren't we?  But lest we feel guilty for being gluttons and imbibers, did you know we've been following God's orders to the letter?  Look what I found on the 'Net:

"Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, 
and drink thy wine with a merry heart; 
for God now accepteth thy works."
~ Ecclesiastes 9:7 

"Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, 
and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor."
~ Ecclesiastes 2:24

"So I commended enjoyment, 
because a man has nothing better under than the sun 
than to eat, drink, and be merry; 
for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life 
which God gives him under the sun."
~ Ecclesiastes 8:15

So where to begin?  Maybe 'tis better to summarize. Words mean a lot to me. So it seemed appropriate that our gift to you would involve words.  I searched the 'Net for friendship quotes.  There's a slew of them.  

But you're a unique and dear friend of many, many years, and tonight, we sat down together in front of the computer to whittle them down to just those with personal significance -- those that applied to you, us, and our long friendship.  

As we evaluated each quote, we thought of you with great fondness and much Aloha. Your smiling face keeps coming to the fore, and yes, we are feeling very blessed to be your friend. 

We love you, LeRoy.  And, you go, baby boy!

>> Here's Our Page for Your Memory Book

Love,
Your Calabash Relatives and "Eat, Drink & Be Merry" Buddies

P.S.  And let us not forgot this quote:

"Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow ye diet. "
~ Lewis C. Henry

 Menu

© 2002