Tony Randall

The recent passing of Tony Randall dropped me into a sea of memories.

In the early seventies my Friday nights were always spent with my grandparents. Nana would fix dinner than she would take a nap before heading off to work. My grandfather would do the dishes and sit in the kitchen with a cigarette, a cup of coffee and a magazine, usually the Readers Digest.

I could be found curled up on the couch lost in a good book. About eight o'clock my grandfather would join me in the living room, turn the TV to ABC (his preferred network) and sit back in his avocado green recliner. We never talked much. I would continue reading occasionally glancing at whatever happened to be on.

About nine fifteen he would return to the kitchen and fix us both a good-sized bowl of vanilla ice cream swimming in caramel. He would return with our dessert and together we would satisfy our sweet tooth while he laughed his way through his favorite show "The Odd Couple".

I really do not remember the show all that well. However, anytime I hear the theme song or catch a glimpse of one of the episodes it is like being thrown into a time machine and being sent back to 1971.

Though I never met him I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tony Randall and of course Jack Klugman for the Friday nights I shared in quiet companionship with my grandfather. They are memories that will remain with me always.