A Tribute to a Friend: Robert Jay Kaufman

A week ago yesterday (Friday, January 15, 2010), I spoke at the memorial service for my dear, life-long, friend, Robert Jay Kaufman, who died on January 8th at the age of 58. I concluded my remarks with the following verses.

This soul friend

This friend of the soul

One with whom years could go by

And yet with one call,

One hint of a conversation

Pick up as if we had talked

Yesterday afternoon.

Trust

Belief in one another

Unafraid to disagree

or challenge

or encourage

Proud to be a friend

This soul friend

This friend of the soul

Conversations

rich, open conversations

on a train from Chatham to New York

at 12 years old

or at Yankee Stadium celebrating the day

they held for the Mick

or listening to the James Cotton Blues Band

on the campus of Tufts University

Driving from Florida to New Jersey

in the parent’s new Mercedes

Seeing Man of La Mancha from the upper, rear balcony.

What wonderful conversations with this soul friend

This friend of the soul

Few things last a lifetime

when they do

it is a gift

I am so thankful,

so grateful

for

This soul friend

This friend of the soul

This gift.

Thank you, Rob