I picked up a last minute gig for Saturday afternoon for the 75th birthday party for Kathy Kraus, wife of my old friend and bag puppeteer Duke Kraus. I had played at various family weddings, picnics in the past, so there were familiar faces there. Backyard in a North Bethlehem neighborhood, food, lots of family… So I pulled up a chair a played music. Simply nice to be amongst a family enjoying the moment and each other. Folks enjoyed the music and the atmosphere, as did I.
I talked with Kathy over the meatball buffet, and she remarked how she thinks of Duke everyday, sometimes smiling, sometimes crying. I said she has a beautiful family, with grandkids, sons and daughters all over the back yard. And she said she knows it and Duke would be very proud. Yes, he would.
I reflect on how I wish things had turned out that way for me.