Nothing can hide the sadness, grief, or emptiness that follows a death

SLINGERLANDS — The first order of business is to report that Doug is under the weather and unable right now to amble to the doors of the restaurants the OFs frequent to join us for breakfast and they won’t let him out of rehab. This is too bad not only for Doug but for the OFs as well; we all want Doug to get well soon and get back to work so this OF can return to sleeping late.

This scribe, appointed by those at the table he was at, did not have his eavesdropping ears on so did not pick up on conversations at other tables. However, since he was seated at the first table in line at the Windowbox Café, enough OFs stopped by to say good morning and briefly chat about this and that; the this of that was really full of this and that.

One of the this or that’s (take your pick) is that Jake followed Doug into rehab. What Jake was doing there was not mentioned or not really known at that time. The OFs, however, do wish him to get better and wish both these OFs get back to the table. Soon!

There were a few get-well cards passed around to sign so that the OFs began to think whether or not they added their John Hancock to one or not, or what the card was for. It is neat to receive one of these cards when sick or hurt. Reading the names most of the time cheers one up, and in most cases adds to the healing process because the OF wants to get better and be one of the signers.

Mentioned over and over, the OFs, just by the title of the group, are a bunch of literally OMOTM and age more often than not becomes a topic. Tuesday morning, Nov. 11, it was the maximum age, and not as morbid as it sounds.

Sometimes it is sad, and sometimes not; it is a blessing. At times, it is expected and others not expected at all, and at times should never have happened when it did. But at the table this morning, the OFs covered the event from stem to stern.

With the exception of just a couple, every living thing on this planet has died — human, animal, bird, fish or plant. Yet, no matter how it is talked about, nothing can hide the sadness, grief, or emptiness that follows a death. Even if it is said to be a blessing, there is a hole the one who passed on occupied and nothing is going to fill it up.

If we did not turn to dust, or the inanimate turn to rust, just think of how much extra weight would be added to this hurling ball, so much so that maybe it would be thrown out of whack and we would hurl out of our orbit and collide with Mars. The OFs think deep.

The OMOTM would like to offer their sympathies and condolences to Harold Guest and his family on the passing of his son, Harold Guest III. See the Enterprise obituary page to read about his life.

My goodness! Our table, and those visiting, seemed to be down in the dumps but they were not. The conversations on these subjects were almost as routine as those on the latest car, truck, or old tractor. 

Those OFs that joined in the banter at the Windowbox in Slingerlands were: Harold Guest, Wally Guest, Frank Fuss, Roland Tozer, Peter Whitbeck, Will Lubletez, Gerry Chartier, Robert Schang, Russ Pokorny, Warren Willsey, Chuck Batcher, Lou Schenck, Rev. Jay Francis, Al Schager, Gerry Cross, Elwood Vanderbilt, Bob Donnelly, Dave Hodgetts, Alan DeFasio, Paul Guiton, Johnny Dap, and me.