Freddy's Beach House

 Over the past four or so years our family has befriended Freddy.  We have befriended Freddy because he is really close to my daughter's in-laws.  Freddy is always at family holidays and events.  He is a really congenial guy and also very smart. 

Freddy is the kind of guy who is generous almost to a fault.  He is also the kind of guy who has roots here in Sonoma County to where thoroughfares you drive on daily are named after his family and you don't even realize it. 

Great.  Steep roots in the county.  $$$$$$$ galore coming out his ga-zoo.   Freddy thinks nothing of spending $100's on a bottle of wine for a crappy back yard BBQ at our house where cheap beer would suffice.  

Where I'm going with this is Freddy has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.  His days are numbered.  He is not sitting around feeling sorry for himself.  He is building a deck for my daughter and son-in-law for their home (build date 1880's - so it's DUE).  

We were all at a family party not too long ago before Sissy and I knew of Freddy's condition.  Sissy and I were talking to Freddy and just engaging in party-type chit chat.  Freddy let on that he had this gorgeous beach house and one of his dying wishes was to have a blow-out party there before he got too sick from his cancer to enjoy it.  He wants the party to be his funeral.  He does not want people sad, crying, and having a downer of a time.  He wants to draw everybody together at his beach house while he is alive and have a kick @ss party while, in his words, "I don't have to have anybody wipe drool of my chin nor my @ss."

Well, the party has been scheduled.  I'm going to a funeral while the person is alive and cognizant.  That is the way he wants it.  He knows it is about to change rapidly.  

PARTY AT FREDDY'S BEACH HOUSE!!!  

I can't help but have mixed feelings about it.  I want to honor Freddy and his wanting to have a blow-out party at his beach house, but I'm still hopeful there is treatment for his cancer.  He truly is a good guy.  I want to help his wife plan for the party as one of my talents is cooking for large crowds.  I know they have butt-tons of money and could easily afford to cater everything but that is not the point.  I truly just want to show appreciation for the happiness Freddy has brought to our lives.   

Where I'm going is that all of Freddy's beach houses and all of his friends, could not put poor Freddy back together again.  

From the outside Freddy looks like he has the world by the b@llz.   He has all the exterior trappings our society fawns over.  He has houses galore, property galore, blah, blah, blah, galore.  Here's the truth:  He is sad and dying.  He is lonely despite being married.  

All the glitz means NOTHING when the final days are being ticked off on the wall.  

 All your material possessions, no matter how fancy and desirable, mean absolutely nothing at the end.  Why do we fight so hard during our lifetimes to accumulate? 

That's all.