Yesterday, I had a hot dog for dinner

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and, yes, I had a hot dog for dinner.
Some important history for the story follows:

• The girls and I are Protestant, we attend a Congregational Church, we don't give up meat during Lent.
• Paul is Catholic and observes the practice of giving up meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent as does most of his family.
• I don't eat fish .... I don't like fish .... or any seafood really .... yes I leave near the ocean and NO I still don't like fish.

When Paul and I started dating way back in 2002 he bowled on Wednesday nights. He was on a team with 4 other guys and they were hysterical to spend a few hours with.  We had a routine, Paul went to the lanes on the way home from work (those were the days when he used to get home between 6:00 and 6:30) and I met him there.  We'd order dinner from the snack bar in the 2nd game and order the first pair of pitchers of beer.  Paul's dad, Joe Ro, came faithfully every week to watch for an hour or so.  Joe loved bowling, he was a bowler back in his hay day and even worked at the lanes.  He was serious about bowling and shook his head in disgust every time that food and beer arrived on the counter behind the seating area.  You were there to bowl, not to eat and drink.  There would be time for that later.

On Ash Wednesday 2003, I ordered Paul a fish sandwich instead of his standard burger and dog and I ordered my usual, "the split" - a hot dog and fries.  I walked back with my food and set it down on the table in front of Joe.  It took me a few seconds before I realized that he was looking at me, then my hot dog and then at me. 

"Oh crap, should I tell him, I'm not Catholic and I'm not breaking the rules?" I thought to myself. 

While I continued my internal struggle, Joe blurted out with a bit of an annoyed tone "Are YOU Catholic????" 

I quickly replied "No" and he seemed relieved. 

"Oh, I can't eat that today" he replied.

"I know, I'm sorry."

It is one of my favorite memories of him .... silly I know ... but it was so him.  He said what he felt, when he felt it, whether you wanted to hear it or not and sometimes you seriously wanted to crawl under the table. 

Yesterday, I was bowling in the CSC League at 4:30.  The girls were staying late with Miss Carol and eating dinner there, Paul was having the frozen fish filets he picked up on his grocery shopping trip on Sunday, so I had the perfect excuse to treat myself to dinner out at the lanes.

I walked to the snack bar and ordered a split and smiled as I walked back to our lanes.  When Paul got home we talked about our day and I laughed as I said I had my "traditional" Lenten meal.  It wasn't an official tradition but last night I decided that as often as I could, on Ash Wednesday, I'm having a foot long hot dog and french fries at the bowling alley. When the girls are older we're heading to the lanes together, ordering Splits and I'll tell them that story.  So even though they never had the chance to personally know their Grandpa Joe, they'll have funny stories and happy memories to hold onto. It stings a little less that way.

You are always in our hearts, Joe Ro !!!!!