I have written before about a group of elderly men and a couple of ladies who occasionally come by-- and I’m not going to comment on their ages-- who gathered together for coffee and conversation, a few times a week at one of the local cafes. We called ourselves the Sunshine Boys. This has been going on for the better part of twenty years. Over this period of time many of the original people have passed away, or moved on, so the group has evolved and there are just a few of the originals left. Yet, even with some new people, our core values seem to still be the same. Friendship and doing what we can to keep each other happy. When I first started taking part in this, I was one of the younger ones but now that has changed and although I’m not the oldest, I’m getting there. It always been my hope and the hope of the others that the group would remain together, although new blood has not been always easy to find.
During the winter months the group shrunk up because we had a few snowbirds and some who for weather reasons found it hard to attend. So, this spring when I came back from Arizona, I was looking forward to renewing some old relationships and then this Covid- 19 thing came along and the café closed up. Even if it was open, it would be hard to keep the social distancing that would be required. A side problem was most of us, were the ones who were in the group, that had such high mortality rates with the disease.
So, for a couple of months we all just kind of hunkered down at home not wanting to take risks or stir the pot when it came to socializing. We called each other occasionally but that didn’t begin to take the place of the conversations we had when we were all together. Then the idea came about to meet in a park, weather permitting. So, a couple of weeks back we gathered in the town square park across from the drug store. We each brought a lawn chair and our own drink and made a big circle trying to keep some semblance of social distancing. No hand shaking or hugs and those who wanted to use masks were encouraged to do so and most did.
Were there some risks to this? Of course. But there were risks involved when you went to the doctor or the grocery store or other errands. There were risks when you saw your family or neighbors. So, what were the benefits that outweighed those risks? I think I mentioned them earlier in this article. Friendship and caring for each other. There were people who were with us last year, who were not with us this year and there will be people in the group that met the other day, that might not be here next year. We want to enjoy each other while we can.
I have in my mind a list of all of the people whom I have met over the years in this group. My life has been made so much better because I knew those people. They all brought something to the table in their own way that makes me remember them today. In the end we are all bits and pieces of everyone we ever associated with. Oh yes, there were some not so good ones too but you tend to not remember those, because they had nothing useful for you to keep. But the majority did have something you could use and I for one am so thankful I knew them. So, to Norm, Morrie, Rusty, Darrell, Dick, Gordy, Wally, John, Charlie, and any one I missed that is gone-- as Carol Burnett use to sing. “I’m so glad we had these times together.” I hope the Sunshine boys will carry on.
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