Tribute to Mae, Max, our childhood neighbor BC mostly

Our neighbors growing up are and were very nice people. They adored me – they didn’t have a little girl, just one son a year younger than I.

I hadn’t seen Mae in a long time and when Chuck and I were in Philadelphia for my 30th prep school reunion, we stopped by what used to be their house. I didn’t know if they were still there so drove slowly up their driveway and walked slowly up to their door.

Their mail was there so success. But they weren’t unfortunately.

I left a message with my phone number. We talked a few days later. She was so thrilled to hear from me.  I called her a few times after that. She was always so gracious and happy to hear from me.

Then I planned on seeing her the next time I was in Phila. Well it wouldn’t be till my 35th reunion and I just found out a few months ago that she discovered lung cancer and died a couple years ago – at about age 88, just a young-un. One always  thinks one has plenty of time – I wish I had tried to figure out getting there sooner.

She did a lot of volunteer work – LEAP – for latchkey kids. Many kids over the next 40 years thanked her for helping them reach their potential.

She took a lot of photos and kept them. She took that one of me as a little kid on the trike is with Adam on the back.

I just called Max, Mae’s husband, today – aged 94. His hearing is great and his mind is all there. I asked him a lot of  questions about his and Mae’s life. As a kid you just never think about those things.

I have thought about what a great name Max is – and he had it long before it was “cool”.

His parents were from Russia. He spoke English with his father and Yiddish with his mother in the same conversation. They never spoke Russian, except when he dressed to go out – he remembers they would say one word in Russian – that meant “female”.

He misses Mae a lot.

Max met Mae on a blind date – they married when he was 40 and she was 36. He had decided he wasn’t ever getting married. Till he met Mae. They had Adam when Mae was 39.

Just before he met Mae, Max had gone to visit his brother who at that time was in the army with the occupation – and was stationed in Vienna. Max stayed for a month, traveling around Europe.

He met Mae just after he returned and regaled her with his travels.

We talked for a bit, but then it was his suppertime, so we planned to talk again.

And he plans to live at least another 3-4 years. So he promises to be around when I come in April/May for my 35th prep school reunion 🙂 I sure hope so.

c. GCYI