Last week Barbara & I returned
to our old neighborhood on Maryland's eastern shore for the internment of the
ashes of Charles R. Beckley, a previous neighbor & friend of 28 years. His
grandfather worked in General (then) President Grant's white house. His father
was a physician who was said to resemble Colonel Sanders, & who with his
first wife produced three boys who, working in the halls of government, chose to
'pass for white.' A second wife, Charles's mother, also had three boys, of
which Charles was the youngest.
Charles was a talented athlete as a
sprinter both at Mount Hermon prep school and at Ohio Wesleyan University. At
Mount Hermon, they called him 'Cho Cho.' One of his classmates there now owns a
seat on the New York Stock Exchange.
Charles 'pinched' a nickle harder
than both Uncle Vake & my father 'Johnnie.' He got his clothes at thrift
shops.
In his 'retirement' years, Charles
invented things, one of which is the 'recycled soap container' which is
pictured above. (Someone, decades back, did a study on the most efficient way
to take a shower.) It may have included using soap with both hands. Anyway,
with Charles's 'invention' of this recycled soap container, he visualized using
one in each hand. (You may notice, the latest iteration of his device has not
been used.)
It was hard to say goodbye to our
friend.
jl
No comments:
Post a Comment