I can't help but think of another humorous story whenever I think of Charles. And I'm not even certain whether anyone in his family remembers ..... I'm sure Alice does. But for Jennifer and Jason, it may come as a surprise, but it's guaranteed to put a smile on all of your faces .... again.
Charles, I and two other compatriots had gone to a Japanese restaurant on Jean Talon St. in Montreal. We were taken there by our at-that-time lab technician, Leslie. It was authentic Japanese, so needless to say, we ordered the real stuff .... warm sake ..... and we sat on the floor, with our feet protruding through a large hole in the floor ..... Canadian-Japanese style, I guess, but quite comfortable. We all enjoyed our meals ..... and the warm sake flowed freely. I saw myself as the "designated chauffeur" for Charles and me, so I drank less than the other "boys". Charles had to get up from his seat in the floor, but for some reason, he ended up splitting the back of his pants. (The last time I saw Charles, just a few months ago, we reminisced about this very thing.) Anyways, the sake continued to flow, the rip in the hindquarters got slighter longer and larger, and I must admit that Charles walked to my car slightly "at an angle", whether from the embarrassment of his torn pants, or the influx of sake, but we made it to Charles' home safe and sound. Dare I say that he probably walked to his apartment at a slight angle ..... most certainly to avoid exposing his "shorts" (etc.) to the atmosphere.
A wonderful memory is meant to be shared by family and friends. And if this little excerpt has also eased some of the sadness and hurt, I've done my job well. This was intended as a loving tribute to a brother whom I loved and admired. Rest in peace, my dear Friend.
