Me ’n Dad sit inside, he’s nearing his 102nd birthday, I’ve just turned 38.
Dad: I think that’s right.
Me: What’s right?
Dad: That I’ve spent my whole life trying to find my balance.
(pause)
Me: Well how’d it go?
Dad: What?
Me: (louder) HOW’S IT GOING?
(sound of mom cackling)
Dad: Well I think I’m getting there. I think to myself, ‘There it is’ (in reference to the Jewels of Elul piece you are currently reading) and Dad gets up slowly after announcing he has to use the bathroom. I sit and plunk a guitar. Sound of his walker clattering as he returns.
Dad: Marching was what I enjoyed most about being a Marine. We would march as part of calisthenics and then there was marching that was just part of being a group. In Quantico, we had a daily parade, every morning 800 men in training left-right left-right. Most of the other guys didn’t like it, but I did. You couldn’t do a half-left or a half-right if you weren’t in balance. You’ve gotta think about yourself, but you’ve gotta consider the others too.
I sit absorbing and then he starts shouting, “HaROMP haREEP one
two THREE” and other marching commands, so I start clapping along
in rhythm. We find a tempo and play for a minute or two. It’s a good
balance, plenty of me plenty of him. It’s good music.
Ben Jaffe is a musician and son of Marc Jaffe, a centenarian, renowned publisher, and WW2 veteran. @benjaminjaff.e
