Andy and I were perhaps not a full generation apart, but we surely came from different worlds. He didn’t care about that.
It wasn’t that he didn’t care about things, he just didn’t care how old I was or where I came from.
We would chat every now and then about boxing, about Philadelphia, and about food. He knew more about all of those things than I did and it was obvious. I didn’t mind so much, mostly because he didn’t mind either, and he wasn’t all too preachy about it. Even when I disagreed with him. I thought Dinic’s served the best sandwich in the city and he was convinced the Vesper Club cooked ’em up better. I had never shot a pheasant and I’m pretty sure he had never shot a coyote. We both agreed neither of us should eat a coyote.
He invited me to go watch his heavyweight fight at the New Alhambra, he treated me to lunch at the Vesper, he sent my resume out to his friends without my asking. He was supposed to introduce me to the world of horse racing but I moved away too soon.
Too soon.
We talked a lot about the mummers and black face, chatted about the legal system. We wrote to each other quite a bit about rugby. Andy loved lacrosse, he loved his boy, and that boy recently traded in lacrosse for rugby. He wanted to figure this game out so he asked questions. I’m a kid from nowhere who had never heard of the Vesper Club, or any club, and he had no problem asking me to teach him things.
I think that is how he approached people. As people.
Good people.
I have no doubt his memorial service will be full of good people. Andy always treated me like I was good people.
You will be missed Mr. Mainline.
https://mainlinesportsman.blogspot.com
Brohammas 