Not Just a Curler

This past Saturday I went to Canada for the memorial service of my curling friend Brian Woodcock. He was literally one day older than me, but promised to never pull rank.

We tend to put people into compartments, little spots in our own minds which categorize them. Brian curled, so in my mind he was a curler.

I met his wife and mother and a few extended family members. So, he had a family. He had friends too beyond curling with whom I spoke. Then I find out he was active in his Church through the St. Vincent DePaul Society. And he worked as an outreach volunteer for the Windsor, Ontario homeless. And he played euchre at a senior center most Saturdays as a type of fellowship with the aging. Pretty soon he was no longer locked in that compartment where I had put him. He was a man who led a full life, who was much more than just a curler. He was a unique and good human being.

Be at peace, Brian, my friend. Be at peace.

But I meant well

This is from the file 'There's a joke in there somewhere'. I'm trying to find it. Believe me, some days you really have to force the blog into being, you know?

Saturday morning I went to McDonald's for breakfast. As my charitable giving isn't nearly good enough (and it isn't) when I saw the sign asking folks in the drive through lane to round up their bill to the nearest dollar as a donation to Ronald McDonald House charities I thought, do that, Marty. My bill was $5.32, so rounding up would give a good cause a whopping 68 cents. Not much but something, and the whole point of the effort is that little bits add up to one large, uh, might I say chunk of change.

With three cars ahead of me, I forgot to say round up as I paid. You know how that is: time, old guy, forget. Repeat pattern tomorrow. Hell, repeat pattern in an hour. As I was pulling back into traffic I remembered and sighed.

Taking me Mom out Sunday, we ended up at McDonald's for a little lunch. After I ordered the young man behind the speaker asked, "Would you like to round up your change for Ronald McDonald House?" Keenly aware that I now had the opportunity to make amends for Saturday I replied, "Yes, I would," and feeling rather proud of myself. I would not forget my fellow man this time.

"Great, thank you," the young man replied. Continuing he said, "Your food is $11.95, so that will be $12 at the first window."

Not that I should have felt overly proud at 68 cents, but that nickel sure sounded small. Way to help that family at Ronald McDonald House with five cents, Marty. I bet they can stay an extra half minute on it.