Macklemore and the Need to Hear Laughter: Godspeed Rich

In the middle of a thrift store I find myself full of questions. What conversations were had over these dining tables? What is the story behind the “Eat, Drink, and BE MARRIED” piece of wall decor? Are they still married? Did anyone actually hang that hideous thing in their house? What things have happened on the couch I sit upon? Who the hell was such an Andy Williams fan?

It’s a fun place to spend a Saturday morning. People sound joyous in here. Some are putting their lives back together. Some are filling out the fringes. Some are making by the by. Some are making a date out of it.

My daughter is running around like a kid in Candyland as she picks out décor for the room she just fixed up. The sofa I’m sitting on is one of her picks. I’m almost certain it won’t fit up the galley-sized staircase that leads to said room. But I can’t say no to her big beaming eyes and smile. She’s growing up too damned fast. And as for me physically relocating this sofa, I’m certain my orthopedist is going to benefit financially from the endeavor.

I’m with my girlfriend, who is painstakingly investigating every single title in the cookbook section. Bonus kid #1 is wingman to Josie’s sofa search. Bonus kid #2 is scanning through books, having fully tossed the toy section looking for his next nerf-mod entrepreneurial endeavor.

My questions continue. Who wears that outfit? Why are half the cookbooks in that section diet cookbooks? How did Josie locate this Henri Mancini album (good score btw)? Why is there a school desk here? Holy cripes there’s a bunch of puzzles for sale. How much of this stuff is donated by well-wishers, by the good-intentioned, and how much is from the estate of those whom have left us?

Virtually everyone in the store, with exception to my tag-popping sofa search party, are fully decked out in Philadelphia Eagles gear. The Superbowl is tomorrow and the entirety of southeast Pennsylvania, southwest New Jersey, and northern Delaware are all electrified for this game.

It’s nice, really. Everyone is in a great mood. The sun is out for the first time in what feels like six months, and green things are starting to pop out of the soil.

I needed this today. I needed to be surrounded by it. This last week started off great but came off the rails later on. In one instance I even helped it. Old coping mechanisms can be like cement overshoes. And today, I found out a coworker died. It was sudden, but it sounds like he didn’t suffer. I hope not. He was a good man, and even in his later years, he worked circles around the younger guys. He left work this morning at 7, having done 3rd shift. His relief said he was cracking jokes and totally normal. He died 2 hours later.

Life moves really fast sometimes. I’m glad I got to know him. I’m glad he didn’t suffer. Godspeed Rich, if anyone earned a rest you did.

And today I’m glad for the sound of laughter all around me. I sometimes forget just how therapeutic it can be.

I hope something gives you a reason to laugh today.