By Larry Peterson

Jumbo Feeney and I grew up together in the Bronx and have been best friends since first grade. We can go a year without talking to one another, and when we get on the phone together, it is just like we spoke ten minutes ago. I love the guy. But sometimes he drives me nuts. Why? Because he has an opinion on most things known to man (oops, and woman) and will never admit he is wrong.

When I see his name and number on the screen of my phone I usually do not answer right away. I need time to mentally prepare for the impending event. I know that invariably, when I do answer, Jumbo will be in mid-sentence, having already been talking as if I had been on the phone  the last minute or two. I will not have a clue as to what he is talking about and it takes me a minute or two to figure it out. By the time I do he is already four minutes into his conversation of speaking to no-one.  It is a fantastic dynamic we have. So the first thing I do is quickly pray very hard for all the gifts of the Holy Spirit to immediately explode within me. I need all the help I can get.

Monday  (the day after Easter)I saw Jumbo’s name and number on the screen. If my phone was truly smart it would wait until I was ready for the call, but it doesn’t care). I immediately violate my own rule and answer the phone. Jumbo is talking and already in mid- sentence,”—you know what I’m talking about Petie, right?”

I think fast and say, “Uh, sure Jumbo. What was that you said first? You couldn’t do what?  And by the way, Jumbo, Happy Easter.”

It was a smart move on my part. Jumbo says, “Oh man, you weren’t  listening. Whatever…Oh, yeah, Petie, Happy Easter to you too.”

“I was hanging on every word, Jumbo, but you were talking so fast I missed part of what you said.”

“Petie, (he has always called me Petie) I am going to Mass this Sunday. What do you think of that?”  He paused and waited for my non-reply. Then he hollered into the phone, “Hey Petie, you there? Say something, will ya? Hope I didn’t give you a heart attack or something.”

“No Jumbo, nothing like that. Just some mild chest pains and a headache. They are subsiding.” We both laughed.

Jumbo Feeney had not been to Mass in decades. He would go for a social event like a wedding or a funeral, but never on his own. But he sounded different. As if he really meant it.  I waited a moment and said, “Okay, Jumbo, I’m ready. Tell me what happened.  It has been many years since you went to Mass on your own.”

“Okay, Petie, here it is. And I ain’t never told this to anyone so keep it under your hat. Every night when Midge and I go to bed she grabs my hand and we say a Hail Mary. Then she says, ‘God loves you Jumbo’  Then we go to sleep.”

“That’s a beautiful thing, Jumbo. Midge is a great gal. She loves you a lot.”

“Yeah, I know, I know. But I never paid attention and just let her say her prayer and that was that. And she never bugged me about it, ever.”

“So what happened?”

“Well, last night, Midge was acting weird and suddenly passed out. I kind of freaked out. She fell down on the floor and was out cold. Jimmy quickly says to me, “Grandpa, its grandma’s blood sugar. She needs something sweet to eat. You have to check her blood sugar. ”

I said, “Damn, Jumbo, so what happened?”

“Petie, I didn’t know what to do. She has diabetes all these years and I didn’t know what to do. I went blank. So, my twelve year old grandson gets Midge’s blood sugar kit out, sticks her finger and finds out her sugar is 39. He gets some OJ and some sugar and some stuff for her to eat and he saved her Petie. My grandson  saved my wife while I stood there like a useless ass. If he hadn’t been there I—-”  Then I heard my 6’5″, 250 pound buddy, stifle a sob.

It was a startling story and I didn’t know what to say to him. I can hear Jumbo’s tear filled voice say to me, “Petie, she came around and Jimmy and I got her on the couch. She is sitting up looking at me and I’m feeling like a fool. Then she takes a deep breath, looks at me and asks if I will please go to Mass with her on Easter Sunday.”

“So, what did you tell her, Jumbo?”

“I put my arm around her shoulder, looked her square in those beautiful green eyes and said, ‘Midge, I swear to you, I will go to Mass with you every Sunday from this Easter on. I swear it. All those times you told me that ‘God loves me’, well Midgie, you were right. He does love me. He gave you back to me. I owe Him big time.”

“Hey Jumbo, give Midge a hug for me, will ya. And Little Jimmy too. He is a great kid for sure. Happy Easter. Love ya, man.”

“Yeah, love ya too, Petie.  Happy Easter.”

 

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