Kindred Spirits

Little sweetheart, today is maternal grandfather’s birthday. I often think about how much you two would like one another. And probably do! I hope you’ve found time in Heaven to get acquainted.

He was a baker. He used to make all of our birthday cakes when we were children. He and my great uncle had a hotel and restaurant in a kind of summer town on one of the Great Lakes. I’d go down there and “work” in the kitchen - over in the salad room far away from the knives or anything potentially dangerous to a seven year old - for two weeks every year and get a crisp twenty dollar bill for my efforts. He ran the whole kitchen and my great grandmother used to main the front desk. College kids would be hired for all the other stuff, mostly.

It was idyllic. I was just telling your mom about the whole thing. I don’t have any plans to write for the theatre anymore but it strikes me as something of a good setting for a play.

Anyway, I feel like you and Louie are such kindred spirits. Both of you so very kind and thoughtful and funny and just love people. Both with such a twinkle, a kind of antic mischievousness. I just think you two would get on so well and again, imagine that you already do! And I only just thought of this now, incredibly - you love baking! - so there’s yet another thing you two have in common.

Thinking of you, as ever, my little sweetheart, as I think of my dear grandpa today, too. With al my love forever.