By Ken Hesselbacher
I entered a magnificent candlelit establishment and found myself
with one other gentlemen.
I asked the young man if I was in a church or a bar?
He replied, “ Well, people come here for joyous celebrations and also
during sad and troubled times. This is a bar, most definitely a bar!”
“And what might your name be”, I inquired.
“Michael, my name is Michael” he replied.
“ Michael, a good name. Perhaps after St. Michael The Archangel?”
Michael thought for a moment and said, “ Yes, I like that.”
“ Well Michael,” I said, “ tomorrow, Saint Patrick’s Day, is the birthday
of my brother in law, Pat Loftus. Of course his mother, God rest her
soul, named him Patrick and told him he was so special that they
would celebrate his birthday every year with a grand parade in his
honor. And for the past 68 years he still believes that this is so!” And
then, 40 years ago he moved to Pearl River, NY. Beatrice, his wife, God
bless her, told him that he was so special that the town would celebrate
his birthday on the first Sunday after Saint Patrick’s Day with
another grand parade in his honor! Of course he believes this is so!
“And so Michael, On Saint Patrick’s Day Eve I’d like to toast my
brother in law. Give me a double shot of Paddy’s with a pint of
Guinness on the side.” “ I’m afraid I can not do that,” he replied “The
Governor has just mandated that all drinking establishments must
close due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. That is why there are no
customers.”
“ Don’t you think,” I asked, “that we could just make this one exception.
Who would know?”
He looked at me for a moment and replied, “ Do you think that Saint Michael The Archangel would do that?”
“ Right you are young man” I said and headed for the door.
He said, “Before you go, what’s your name if you don’t mind me asking?”
“ Not at all, it is Kenneth. In Gaelic it means handsome. When my
mother, God rest her soul, first saw me she thought I was so beautiful,
she had to name me Kenneth.”
Michael took a closer look and asked,“ What happened?”
“Life happened, and if it is still happening, I’ll see you next St.
Patricks Day Eve.”
