Peter

Peter and I have known each other for more than forty years.
The thing that drew us together was folk music. I remember back in 1982, I went to my first Hoot-in-nanny and there he was with his parents.

Peter and I were born in the same year.  He lives in a nursing home near where I live.
He has cerebral palsy and a learning disability. He lived with his parents all of his life, until about 12 years ago when They moved into an assisted living facility. Then he got an apartment through the state.
He’s never had a girl friend. For that matter he’s hardly ever had a friend. His family were his whole world. They were cultural Jews, not often participating in religious services, they celebrated both Hanukkah and Christmas, Passover and Easter. 

Peter is an eccentric, and a genius! 
He’s also a poet.  
For as long as I’ve known him he’s carried spiral notebooks filled with his words. Actually, they’re more like lyrics. Because of his love for sea shanties, he often writes lyrics to the Cadence of sea shanties.

He has his favorite performers, like Gordon Bok, Ed Trickett and Bill Staines. He often hums the songs he heard them sing.

Peter became a born again Christian in the 1990s. I remember the “Hoot” I attended and him proudly showing me his Star of David with the cross in the center.  He hasn’t always understood everything that being a Christian means, but he knows what’s most important; Jesus is real. Jesus died for his sins and someday Jesus is coming back. He comes to church with us about once a month and enjoys the Bible studies that happen at the nursing home.

Peter’s parents both escaped Europe during WW11. His father arrived  from Germany right before events like Kristallnacht occurred. Peter’s mom arrived in 1942, after having escaped a concentration camp in France. Considering how insanely difficult the quota system was that allowed some Jews in, It’s a miracle they got in!

Once here they set themselves up as chicken farmers in rural NJ. They brought their love of folk music with them and there  because of their leaning towards communism, they rubbed elbows with such people as Woodie Guthrie and Pete Seeger. 

Once here they set themselves up as chicken farmers in rural NJ. They brought their love of folk music with them and their  because of their leaning towards communism, they rubbed elbows with such people as Woodie Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

More good and kind hearted people have never existed!
I was blessed to be friends with almost eveyone in the family.  
Mike was a great singer and player of many instruments. He also wrote songs about living in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.

Kenny lived in New Hampshire with his family. I met him at family gatherings my husband and I were invited to but I never got to know him.

Jackie, the only sister, lives in PA. She loves sheltie dogs and enjoys folk music but doesn’t participate in making music.

And then there’s Peter, the baby of the family, born two months premature.

Very sadly, both Mike and Kenny passed away from cancer.

Peter didn’t do too well living by himself. He’s a diabetic and wasn’t taking care of himself or taking the medication he needed to keep him alive and a few years ago he nearly died. That’s why he lives in the nursing home at the age of 64.

It is my privilege to spend time with him every week. We talk about folk music and what he gleans from the sitcoms he watches.  Who knew that the “King of Queens” and “Everybody Love Raymond” were such wells of wisdom!

At the end of each visit I give him a big hug and I know that’s what he’s really been waiting for. 

Have you heard the song written and performed by John Prine: “Hello In There?” Do yourself a favor, It’s gorgeous, and might make you shed a tear.