Mose and Rowdy

Here is a picture of Al (Mose) Oppenheimer and a dog we had. The dog's name was Rowdy. I don't care much for dogs (just ask my wife, Donna), but I liked Rowdy, even when he got the mange. I have always been grateful to Al Op for inviting me to stay with him when I went down to Golden, Missouri looking for my friend, Warren Pake. By the time I came down to Golden, Warren was gone to Brooklyn to work for the Watchtower Society and the Jehovah's Witnesses. Last week I was at my 40th year high school reunion and I ran into Liz Hasler, who was also a friend of Warren's. She recalled that she and I drove down together in an old car I had -- on a whim. I recall feeling that Al Op enjoyed the spontaneity of my arrival and spontaneity in general. He validated a notion that I was forming that life is meant to be lived in the present, not as a part in a script that has already been written. Also from the picture, was there ever a more pristine and beautiful winter than the first year at Farm Yonder. It was enough to make this Jewish raised boy fall in love with Christmas. I remember that we all wanted to make hand crafted presents for each other to capture the spirit of the holiday, of the country setting, of the friendships we had formed.