SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR

Early every spring the Rosens (Eunice and Billy) — old friends of Bobby and relatively new ones of mine pay a visit to see all their buddies who have settled in Las Vegas and we usually get to spend an evening or two with them.  Last night was the designated date but we all went in different directions before our dinner date at The Suncoast Cafe Sienna.   Billy and I played at our favorite table (Superfun double deck BJ);  Eunice dabbled at video poker and Bobby headed for the Sports Book to watch the endings of several basketball games.   Then at the appointed time the four of us met for a fun-packed dinner.  

I don’t know many of the Chicagoans from the old days but I always enjoy listening to new and different stories from the fifties and sixties of names who were legends but I did not know personally.    Last night was a bittersweet adventure — with Bobby checking about his old bridge friends from the early days.  “How is Milt Ellenby?” asked Bobby.   “Oh,” replied Billy, he died last year.”     Oh, I’m sorry to hear that — and what’s become of Gerry Caravelli?   Billy replied he had just passed on almost two weeks ago —  but added an interesting apropos tidbit.  Speaking of friends who are no longer with us,  he mentioned every few years he would telephone his old buddy Burt Norton but had to find his number on the Internet and had been successful several times.   However, the last time he made the effort, he found no telephone number — just an obit — which goes to prove nobody lives forever.  

I must admit Billy, whom Bobby remembers when he won a world championship at the tender age of 24 (they became friendly at the time Billy was serving his stint in the Army at Fort Sam Houston located in San Antonio) and used Bobby’s parents’ home as his main base, and they got to see a lot of each other.   Eventually Billy and Eunice married, raised a lovely family and Billy gave up  bridge and ran a very successful business for many decades.  Bobby, who has been friends with Billy for at least sixty years, is amazed Billy still looks so great (per Eunice’s good care), is so resilient and has retained his marvelous sense of humor witnessed last evening.

Looking forward to next year.