Sam: On scooping

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A phrased daddy loved using was “scooped.”

Just how do you scoop someone? You tell their story or news to someone else who they planned on telling before they have a chance to share the news themselves. Beating them to the punch, if you will.

Daddy would lecture both Joelle and me for scooping each other and ruining each other’s stories. In fact, I think we easily had this discussion at least once a week in the car while driving to and from school. Joelle would tell mom and dad something that happened to me before I could, and of course, I would do the same to her…a lot.

Sam: On RENT

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To say mom and dad loved RENT would be an understatement. The first time they saw it together on tour in Richmond at The Landmark (now Altria), they ended up buying tickets to see it again later in the week.

Although the plot and song lyrics are…PG-13 (if we’re being conservative in the rating), mom and dad LOVED the musical score and believed in the storyline of love, friendship, acceptance and living life enough that they were OK with Joelle and I listening to most of the songs at a young age. In fact, Joelle even sang “Take Me or Leave Me” for her play audition at age seven!

Needless to say, we were ECSTATIC when they told us we were finally going to be able to see this musical that we had heard so much about. The tour was coming to DC in the winter of 2003, and we were going to play hooky to see it. LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN.

Fast forward to December 1, 2002. It was 30 minutes or so after mom told us that daddy had died, and my 11-year-old mind panicked.

But we were supposed to see RENT together…

We did end up going — Sybil came along in daddy’s spot. This is the program from that show.

Rent 2003

Years later, mom and I went to NYC for my 16th birthday. We had tickets to RENT of course, but I wanted to try my hand at the lottery. Jonathan Larson believed that everyone should have the opportunity to see shows on Broadway. Accordingly, for every show, you could enter your name in a lottery to win 1 or 2 tickets to see the show for just $20 in the one of the front rows. Hundreds of people showed up hours before the show to enter, and in a true God-wink moment, my name was called. We sat front row in the dead center and cried so much during Seasons of Love and I’ll Cover You.  I’d like to think it was a sign from Daddy.

Lloyd Osgood: On Jon at school events

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I first met your parents when we were shopping schools for our daughters. We were at Collegiate and I quickly realized I didn’t have to ask any questions because your mother asked them all! I remember saying hello to your dad, the warmth of his handshake – firm yet gentle – and the twinkle in his eye stay with me still. Once we enrolled our daughters in JK at St. Catherine’s, it seemed your dad was always the first parent to arrive at any school event. He’d be setting up his video camera and would always take a minute to come over and chat with me once I arrived. I looked forward to seeing him because he was so warm and genuine with such a lovely smile – and that twinkle in his eye. Of course, our daughters were fast friends in those early years and I just remember how easy – and nice – it was to pass the time in his company. Once he died, I was one of many who missed his presence at school events. When I think of how proud he was of his children, I know your dad would be ecstatic over the kind of person each of this three children has become: strong, poised, intelligent, compassionate… to name just a few of the many wonderful qualities I’ve seen over the years.

Bill Warwick: On practical jokes

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Jon loved practical jokes and was always coming up with ideas on who to mess with and how.  The only trouble was that he never wanted to play the joke himself.  He would spend hours trying to convince someone else to play it.  When they finally broke down and agreed to do it he made sure he was at a safe distance to observe the mayhem that ensued. Sadly this was before cell phones so none of it was captured for America’s funniest videos.  I remember one holiday party where we would give secret Santa gag gifts.  Jon came up with a funny gag gift for a horrid co-worker Maura.  She had recently moved into an apartment and was always arguing with the neighbors.  She would do such things as throw a child’s bike in the dumpster if they left it on the side walk.  Jon found out the co-op student had her name and spent days working on the gag gift for him.  It was a neighborhood welcoming kit for her new neighbors. It was packed in an army ammo box complete with eggs, toilet paper and assorted projectiles.  When the gift was opened Maura’s “Nut Job” husband went postal and threatened to kill the co-op.  Your dad strategically watched from the doorway and slipped out after it unfolded. The co-op was clueless that he was the one being set up.   I was in the back of the room and could hear Jon laughing so hard he was in tears rolling on the floor.  He just loved it when a plan came together and we did too.