Yesterday really sucked. There’s no sugar coating it.
The email arrived at 10:30 a.m. from our law firm’s founding partner.
“It is with great sorrow and regret that we inform you of the death of our friend and long time invaluable member of our staff...”
Oh, no. This is one I never saw coming. I tried to process the news but it was like I stepped outside my body and this was happening to someone else.
I sat at my desk for several minutes, wanting to go downstairs and hug Gary, but I felt paralyzed.
As I’ve mentioned, I work for an Orthodox Jewish firm. It’s small, with only five attorneys, and to say it’s incredibly family oriented would be an understatement.
When I first began working there three years ago, after being ravaged by fifteen years of bad career choices, illness, and an early retirement I realized was a major mistake, I was so relieved to have found a “normal “ job that the first six months I worked there, I literally never left my office unless it was to visit the ladies room. I kept my head down and worked and didn’t socialize.
Bill’s office was directly opposite mine only I never saw him and I was never introduced. I would later learn he kept crazy hours - sometimes he wouldn’t come in until early afternoon but he would stay until late at night.
So the first few months were a mystery - I had no idea who was in the office across from me.
I literally never saw him.
Or so I thought.
But I would hear him loudly on the phone, and he had a unique, old school way of talking - like he was from another century. I would hear him introduce himself to people, he had an Irish last name. I began to picture him in my head. He had a ruddy complexion and long white hair and looked like a poet. The only question was, what was he doing working in a law office handling referrals?
Sometimes he was so loud and his speech so affected, he annoyed me.
And after overhearing him a few times, I realized that despite the very Irish last name, Bill was an Orthodox Jew.
Who was this guy? Why did I never see him?
The answer would be revealed shortly when we had a fire drill and had to exit the building. We congregated outside, waiting for the firemen to arrive, when I heard someone say, “Hi, Bill!”
Yessss! I could finally see what he looks like! I swiveled around, expectantly.
Wait, wut?
I stood there staring like an idiot.
The guy who spoke like an actor in a Shakespeare play animatedly talking in Hebrew and shaking hands was the huge, seven foot tall African American man I’d seen limping around the office.
Woo, lesson learned. Never stereotype.
Bill and I became friendly. He was an interesting guy, definitely from another era though he was actually six years younger than me. He lived alone, had all kinds of health issues and had trouble walking. The office was his life.
At our Purim party in March this year, I saw Bill struggling to get his meal together from the makeshift buffet set up so I helped him with his platter. Later that day, I got an email.
“Dear Robin:
Thank you for your help during the meal. It was so very kind. I really appreciate it. You should always be blessed for your mitzvah. Please have a great Purim. Bill.”
When no one heard from Bill for a couple days this week, which was completely out of character, the police were called to do a wellness check and sadly discovered his body.
There was no autopsy, but it is believed his death was caused by Covid-19.
He was a lovely, lovely man. Our office is devastated.
After I got my shit together I went downstairs to tell Gary and get my hug.
But the day wasn’t over yet.
As we were sitting there talking and Gary was giving me the usual pep talk about death and change, his cell phone rang.
He answered Hello and then walked into the kitchen. Something in the tone of his voice made me turn down the radio so I could eavesdrop.
After I got my shit together I went downstairs to tell Gary and get my hug.
But the day wasn’t over yet.
As we were sitting there talking and Gary was giving me the usual pep talk about death and change, his cell phone rang.
He answered Hello and then walked into the kitchen. Something in the tone of his voice made me turn down the radio so I could eavesdrop.
I heard him quietly repeat the word “Okay “ several times in a weird, not very Gary tone of voice. And then:
“What should I do with the computer?”
My heart sank. Seriously? After 25 years?
Yep.
Listen, as we both agreed after the shock wore off, up until coronavirus, we had a plan. Gary was going to retire in August and I would follow a year or two later. It wasn’t until quarantine that we talked about other options, and really, we still hadn’t come to any decisions. We were waiting until the pandemic was over.
Anyway, because Gary’s office was unaware of his retirement plan, they “furloughed” him until October. This is actually awesome news and in retrospect, the best thing that could have happened. Now I don’t have to worry about him going back to work too soon in what is clearly a dangerous virus breeding environment and now Gary gets to check out retirement in advance while collecting unemployment. Trust me, he has no interest in returning to his job in October. As of yesterday, he’s officially retired from plumbing world though he tells me he’s going to look around for something “fun.”
And my transportation to and from work when it reopens is now no longer a problem.
See? Every cloud does has a silver lining.
Sigh...
I’m really going to miss Bill. And next week is going to be challenging, with my newly retired husband sleeping in and no longer tethered to a laptop.
But you know what? I can do this.
Onward!
