While in recovery from an overindulgent Thanksgiving dinner, I swore off turkey — at least for a bit. Being the enthusiastic eater that I am, however, the next day, I hungered for an entirely different cuisine, one with just as much nostalgia attached to it for me as roast turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. I engaged my friend Paul, who was quickly on board, to help seek out the best kosher-style deli within an hour’s ride — one where we could indulge ourselves in a traditional Jewish food extravaganza: matzoh ball soup, lox, bagels, pickled herring, and toasted reuben on rye. We invited our friend Sam to come along as the corned beef taster. Paul’s internet search yielded numerous options, but the five-star-reviewed Gourmet Deli House in Lake Worth, open since 1965, was the standout, and we were shortly on our way.
We seated ourselves around a no-frills formica-topped table and, after placing our orders, shared stories about our family backgrounds in western New York, Long Island, and Westchester. We pondered over why we were so drawn to the foods from those days, before pizza and sushi and fusion cuisine — none of which measure up to a 4” high pastrami and sauerkraut sandwich. Is it a cultural thing or just a remembrance of times past before we were admonished over what was good for us at our age? The meal ended with tea and chocolate rugelach. This deli was like cabbage soup for the soul. What a delightful and refreshing end of the week, post-Thanksgiving.
During the long Thanksgiving weekend, I make a point of checking in on many of my “away” friends. When I called my old pal Jer, he was in his about-to-be-closed law office in New Jersey doing a final flyover to cast away old files and mementos of cases won from years past. He was in a somber mood. Should he keep his old law office signs and letters from clients thanking him for doing his job? Was transitioning to an “of counsel” suite the right move? Like some of the great athletes, Jer was semi-retiring at his peak — semi means he will not turn away a case, but the office hours now are not 24-7. “Office Closing” is a metaphor for moving on in more ways than one — not just more golf (a passion of Jer’s that I don’t share) and a longer stay in Florida. Reducing stress in one’s senior years is good for long-term health and allows for more meaningful quality time. Having someone to share that time with is also very important. Recently, I heard from a friend whose New York City neighbor suddenly lost his wife, shortly after which he sold everything and moved to a cabin in Maine. That’s one way to abruptly close the office. Another way is, as my friend Jer is doing, to move orderly on to the next phase and manage one’s expectations of the years to come — including making more space and time to share with another. My hat is off to Jer, and perhaps now I will be induced to spend more time out of the office.