MR. RANDOLPH

Too many memories on blogs about this man

not to give him his own space.

So lets do memories of Mr. Randolph

and RANDOLPH'S RESTAURANT

When Mr. R. was dying, I went to visit

and shared this memory with him:

When I was a teenager, my room upstairs faced his

house. Because air conditioning was used only

on the hottest of nights, there were many nights

that I slept with my window opened.

I remember every morning between three and four

Mr. R. walking to the restaurant.

The reason I knew it was him

because every morning he would whistle on his trek.

He didn't care that it was 3:00 am!!!

He was on his way to do what he loved to do

and he was happy.

I shared with him that his whistling

was my sign,

my sign that everything was right in the world,

it would be a good day.

This story made him cry.

He never realized his simple act of happiness

was viewed by another.

I loved this man for all he did for all of us.

Everyday after walking home from school,

I would stop there to give Mom a kiss,

but more so for a pocket full of olives.

He would fuss me but never stopped me.

He always allowed us to go in and out of

the restaurant as if we belonged there.

Where else could Mom have worked that

they would have allowed that?

We owe a lot to this kind man and his family.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL THE

DADDIES OUT THERE WHO

I LOVE AND WHO PLAYED A PART

IN RAISING ME!!!