A Gift to Remember

I have received many wonderful gifts in my life. I still have some, and some perish, or get lost, or have been outgrown. I have a bowling pin on my desk at home autographed by the Cast of " ED" that is a cherished possession. But last night I was reminded of a gift I received on my 40th birthday. It was a phone call from John Powers. He is a Chicago author who wrote 4 books about growing up Irish Catholic in the city. The books cover 1st grade through adulthood, and I have always loved the man's writing. His 3rd book, The Unoriginal Sinner and the Ice Cream God is my all time favorite book. I have it in Hard Cover, and softcover. I lent out a paperback to a friend years ago and he never returned it, so when I got the chance to re-acquire it, I covered my ass. Anyway, my sister arranged to have an autographed copy of his 4th book The Junk Drawer, Corner Store, Front Porch Blues sent to me, and minutes after she gave me the book the phone rang and it was John Powers. Well after I soiled myself, I spent the next 30 minuites gushing over his bokos and asking him who what where when and why questions about the charecters in this or that book. When did Caepon die? Why did Tim Conroy die? Did Leonard Cohen ever become a Doctor? The call lasted about 40 minutes if I recall, and my head buzzed for hours afterwords, wondering if it had really happened. It really was like a phone call from God for me, and that 40 minutes is a fixture in my personal Hall of Fame.