Grandpa and I arranged to meet at Stir Crazy at noon, so I am surprised to receive a phone call from Matt Pinsky at exactly 12:00, telling me that they are sitting down at Di Pescaro. But, after two years of Grandpa Lunches, I’m used to last minute changes in venue, or confusion about time and place. Then I call Janet and Marty to update them, and Janet is running late so she gives me her order.
Matt is working at Banner for the summer, and it turns out that he hates Stir Crazy, so the confusion is a little cleared up. But Janet isn’t all that fond of Di Pescaro, so we will have to compromise over the next two months. There is usually a lot of discussion in determining the restaurant, with some saying anything is fine and others wanting a specific place. Of course, when Anat and Maya join us, they’ll probably want to have breakfast food, so that will mean Egg Shell.
This is the first time Janet and I have seen Matt since he finished his first year at Penn State. We start out by asking him questions about his year. He is so handsome and grown up that we can hardly believe this is the same gawky kid who didn’t know what to do with his long arms. He tells us that Penn State wasn’t a perfect fit for him, and explains how the students are mostly east coast, which he hadn’t realized was so different. He does a mean imitation of fast talking New Jersey kids, and tells us that he would like to pull up his grades in the next year, then perhaps transfer to someplace in the Midwest.
Grandpa listens with a big smile on his face, as usual just happy to be surrounded by some of his children and at least one grandchild. I lean to Matt and say, “Let me tell you what I tell my students when I mentor them.”
Of course, everyone laughs because they know I am poking fun at Grandpa, who has started a foundation for mentoring troubled teens in Chicago. We all know that he is itching to mentor all of his 12 grandchildren, and we guess that he has often shared stories of mentoring with Matt. Nonetheless, I repeat Grandpa-isms with great relish to Matt, telling him that he has to get the grades and call the shots. Matt has apparently already figured this all out, after a fun but not academically brilliant year.
Matt has always had a sweet nature, like his father, but today he is additionally thoughtful to Janet and me, asking if we mind that he orders shrimp. Of course not, we say. Then while helping Grandpa to share a portion of his dish, he says to me: “I’ve used this fork in the shrimp; would you like me to use a clean fork for you?” All of us smile; what great kids we’ve raised in this family!
Matt is working at Banner for the summer, and it turns out that he hates Stir Crazy, so the confusion is a little cleared up. But Janet isn’t all that fond of Di Pescaro, so we will have to compromise over the next two months. There is usually a lot of discussion in determining the restaurant, with some saying anything is fine and others wanting a specific place. Of course, when Anat and Maya join us, they’ll probably want to have breakfast food, so that will mean Egg Shell.
This is the first time Janet and I have seen Matt since he finished his first year at Penn State. We start out by asking him questions about his year. He is so handsome and grown up that we can hardly believe this is the same gawky kid who didn’t know what to do with his long arms. He tells us that Penn State wasn’t a perfect fit for him, and explains how the students are mostly east coast, which he hadn’t realized was so different. He does a mean imitation of fast talking New Jersey kids, and tells us that he would like to pull up his grades in the next year, then perhaps transfer to someplace in the Midwest.
Grandpa listens with a big smile on his face, as usual just happy to be surrounded by some of his children and at least one grandchild. I lean to Matt and say, “Let me tell you what I tell my students when I mentor them.”
Of course, everyone laughs because they know I am poking fun at Grandpa, who has started a foundation for mentoring troubled teens in Chicago. We all know that he is itching to mentor all of his 12 grandchildren, and we guess that he has often shared stories of mentoring with Matt. Nonetheless, I repeat Grandpa-isms with great relish to Matt, telling him that he has to get the grades and call the shots. Matt has apparently already figured this all out, after a fun but not academically brilliant year.
Matt has always had a sweet nature, like his father, but today he is additionally thoughtful to Janet and me, asking if we mind that he orders shrimp. Of course not, we say. Then while helping Grandpa to share a portion of his dish, he says to me: “I’ve used this fork in the shrimp; would you like me to use a clean fork for you?” All of us smile; what great kids we’ve raised in this family!
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