Now this day I remember like it was yesterday and I know I always will too. It was a Sunday and Joanie was home for the weekend like she was near to every weekend. She was hunched over two or three books and a notebook at the kitchen table and I was stretched out on the couch reading something or another. I don't think I was studying that day, just reading something that looked interesting. It was a relaxed kind of day and the kind I think I loved most of all. We didn't have to be talking or even doing anything specific, we were just both there and it felt right.

Well, on that day our sitting and just being was interrupted by the phone ringing. Joanie was closer and she answered it. I heard a lightness in her voice that said it was someone she knew on the other end.

"James," she called to me, "It's for you."

I went out and took the phone from her and tried to figure out the weird smile on her face.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jimmy, it's Kid."

It sounded like he was crying or maybe laughing but more like crying and I got worried right away.

"Kid," I said trying to keep my voice steady. "It's good to hear your voice. How is everyone?"

"Great," he said but he still sounded strange and it was still sort of scaring me. Then he said, "It's a boy, Jimmy. I have a son."

Now I knew it was close to Lou's due date but somehow I didn't even put it together when he called. I had to sit down. Seeing Buck with Lisa hadn't done this to me but knowing that my best friend, the man I called brother had a son was just a little more than I could comprehend while standing.

"A boy?" I asked and then added, "That's great news. How's Lou?"

"Doctor says she came through great," he said, "I haven't been able to see her yet. They showed him to me though. He's amazing."

It was so strange right then because as much as Kid and I had been through, as tight as we'd been, at that moment I felt like I wasn't talking to my buddy. He was someone's dad now. I don't know why it was different from seeing Buck holding Lisa. Maybe it was because we were talking over the phone with so many miles between us. Maybe it was because we were closer. Buck and I were good friends but I didn't meet him until near to high school and then I was held back so I didn't get to be as close to him as I did with Kid. Hell, Kid was even in my kindergarten class. Maybe it was that I still had that feeling in my gut that I couldn't quite place but was telling me that something bad was going to happen. Maybe I was still mad at him a little for leaving and taking Lou and Theresa with him. I know that's selfish but sometimes people are and I'll admit I'm as capable of it as the next guy. All I knew was this conversation wasn't like any we'd had before and it made me sad that I felt in that moment like I had lost my best friend. I hadn't and I'd come to realize that before things got too, well, you'll see what I mean eventually. I think I covered it pretty well, that sadness I mean. I think I came off sounding mostly like normal.

"This baby get a name or do we call him Kid too?" I asked trying to sound like how I was when I would joke around with him normally. "Or maybe this one is 'Other Kid'."

Kid laughed and it almost was like old times but then not quite.

"Robert," he said, "We're going to call him Bobby though."

We talked a bit more with me telling him that I thought Robert was a good name, and it is. I never could shake that uneasiness and I still to this day can't tell you why I had it. It was quite some time before that feeling in my gut was anything but an unfounded worry. Eventually he had to get off the phone and I told him to give my love to Lou and Theresa and to send pictures when he could.

I hung up the phone and turned to see Joanie standing there expectantly.

"It's a boy," I said, "Robert."

"That's wonderful news," she said, "So why do you look so sad?"

"I'm not sad," I said defensively, "My best friend in the world has a son; there's nothing to be sad about."

Joanie didn't say anything more, just hugged me tight. That was my Joanie. She knew when it was time for words and when it wasn't. Sometimes all anyone needs is to be held and know that they are loved.

A couple weeks later I went out to Ann Arbor in the middle of the week and took Joanie to get some food that didn't come out of a dining hall.

"Joanie," I started, "What's your Hebrew name?"

"Yoana," she said and then something seemed to click in her head. "Wait, how did you even think to ask that? What have you been reading lately?"

"Just the books that Rabbi Morton recommended," I replied kind of nonchalant.

Her brow furrowed and she just sort of studied me for a second.

"Why is my Rabbi giving you reading lists?"

"Remember you said once that you liked surprises?" I asked and she nodded. "Well, I have a surprise for you. I went to see Rabbi Morton and told him that I would like to convert to Judaism. I guess it's been six months or so, maybe a little longer."

"Well, that's a pretty big assumption for you to make, isn't it?" she asked.

"I'll admit," I began, "The thought did cross my mind that converting would remove a few objections your family might have to us maybe someday getting married and that was the reason I started. But I really like it and believe in it. I never had a religious upbringing, never went to church or anything like that. This makes me feel like I have a foundation or something."

I paused and tried to read her features but she was just staring blankly.

"Anyway, there's nothing really required in Reform Judaism as far as ceremony, as I'm sure you know," I went on, "I mean there is a preference for me to be circumcised but I guess you know that happened almost twenty years ago anyway. But Rabbi Morton did tell me I needed to pick a Hebrew name and I wasn't sure where to begin so I thought I'd ask what yours is. Yoana, that's pretty."

"So you're Jewish now?" she asked like she still couldn't believe it and probably she couldn't.

"Yeah, pretty much," I said, "I just have to figure out what this name is supposed to be. How do you figure it anyway?"

"Well," she said and she was still kind of eying me suspiciously. "There's kind of three ways you can go with it. You can either find a name that starts with the same letter and might even be the Hebrew version of your own name. My Hebrew name is the Hebrew version of my secular name and so is Dad's. His name is Yaakov. Judy's sort of is too. Judy is short for Judith and her Hebrew name is Yehudit which is Hebrew for Judith. But you can also just find a name that means the same thing or starts with the same letter."

She sort of paused to make sure I was still following.

"Like if Buck and Carol wanted to give Lisa a Hebrew name," she continued, "Lisa is already a form of Elizabeth so maybe they could go with Elisheva for the same meaning or Leah for something that just sounds similar. Or you can always pick a name you just sort of like. It doesn't have to have anything at all to do with the name. My mom's name is Gladys but her Hebrew name is Esther."

"Is there a wrong way to do it?" I asked. I hadn't had the courage to ask that of Rabbi Morton but it was easier to let Joanie see how scared I was to mess this up. It's not like a Hebrew name is used a whole lot but I knew that when and if we got married, there'd be a Jewish marriage certificate and this name would be on that. And it would be the one my child would use to say who his or her father was. It somehow seemed far more important than the one I got called every day.

"No, you can't really do it wrong," she said trying not to laugh. "There are a few more rules and traditions when you're picking the name for your child but when you pick your own; you have a pretty free reign."

"Is there a Hebrew version of James?" I asked.

"Kind of," she said, "Hamish means the same thing but then there are names that sort of sound the same, like Chaim. That means 'life' which is sort of nice. I've always really liked the name Chaim."

"What does James mean?" I asked. I never really thought of names meaning anything at all. They were sort of just letters bunched together. I mean, I knew of names that were words, like Hope or Faith but that James or Joanie might mean something was a new thought for me.

"He who supplants," she said, "It means to overcome someone usually by force or treachery. Jacob means the same thing so I guess you could be Yaakov too but that might be awkward."

"I think I like Chaim better," I said, "Can I go with that?"

"Chaim ben Avraham, Avinu," she said like she was testing it out. "I like that, what do you think?"

Well, I liked it a lot and I told her so. It felt good to have a place and being a son of Abraham beat the hell out of being the son of the guy who beat the hell out of me. I still had one thing to do before I was official and it wasn't required but it was encouraged and I was willing to do anything that Rabbi Morton recommended. I had already made it through the council thing where they asked me all sorts of stuff. Joanie's family didn't keep strict to kosher but I still had to know what the rules were and things like that. Rabbi Morton said I did really well. I still had to have what they called a mikveh which is a ritual bath. It wasn't required for Reform Jews but I wanted to do everything right. And I'd have to make a speech in temple. I was really nervous about that but I didn't have to worry about it until after the mikveh.

I was walking Joanie back to her dorm and she stopped and turned to me.

"Is this why you were scared to promise me you wouldn't keep secrets?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise and I thought it would make you happy," I said, "Besides, I wasn't ready to tell you about this yet."

"It was a good surprise," she said, "Thank you."

"I think I need to thank you," I argued, "I can't explain what this has been for me but I guess I'll have to in a few weeks."

Her eyes sparkled at me and she said, "Why James, you're scared, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't say scared exactly," I got defensive. "It's more nervous, I think."

She looped her arms around my neck and kissed me then pulled back smiling.

"You'll be fine," she said, "I'll help you."

Before my little speech became an issue I got to experience my first Seder with the Cohen family. I'd had my mikveh by that point so I was as official as I was going to get without being announced in temple some Sabbath. Only Joanie knew though and Bubbe Goldman was glaring at me all through the meal even though I was keeping up with the blessings and the Hebrew even. Joanie was getting upset by it and I could tell. I squeezed her hand under the table to let her know it was fine but she shook her head and stood up.

"James has some news for everyone," she began, "The first Sabbath after Passover, Rabbi Morton will announce this but I thought everyone here would like to know it first."

"Goyisher," Bubbe Goldman muttered under her breath.

I stood up and looked at the old woman.

"Not anymore," I said, "I think the term now is ger tzedek. I won't lie; I came to this originally to make things less complicated for Joanie. I didn't really have a religion before so I figured picking Judaism was as good a pick as any I could choose. Learning the history though has been something more to me. I feel like I belong to something and that I know where I fit in the great scheme of things."

He recovered quickly but for a brief moment the color left Mr. Cohen's face. I know that the reality of how close he was to walking his first born down the aisle just hit him and I felt kind of bad about that. But the smile that came after was genuine. I could have spent hours talking about how much I loved that woman and how I'd take care of her and never let harm come to her but spending that time instead studying her faith and becoming a member said far more than I ever could have. Bubbe Goldman grunted and I could see her trying to think of other things to call me now that I was Jewish.

A couple of weeks later I gave a similar version of that speech to the entire congregation. I was a little nervous but none of those people mattered as much as the ones who already knew me and had heard the speech before so I made my way through it. Joanie was just beaming in pride. I don't think she would have ever required me to convert and she would have still married me in time but it would have been hard on her and I know this meant a lot to her.

Once I got past the conversion, I could focus even more of my studies on my G.E.D. and I did. Until finals came around for Joanie, that is. I knew I had to do something to keep her from having one of her little episodes. So the whole week leading up to the tests and even finals week itself, I brought her home with me and drove her to campus every day before I went to work. It made for some early mornings but she did better. She had one night where she broke down but I was right there and I could hold her calm her down. I know her dorm mother wasn't happy about it but I knew my Joanie and she didn't. The next year, Joanie got herself an apartment off campus and I could stay there without anyone caring one little bit. She still roomed with Sherry but Sherry never cared if I slept over. It's not like I was there for a night of wild and crazy sex or anything. We saved that for my place where there was no roomie to disturb. But her freshman year she had to be at Markley and I couldn't stay with her because of the assumption that any man in the girls' dorm was there to have his merry way with at least one of the girls. At least it wasn't personal; they felt that way about all men. And I knew it couldn't have anything to do with looks. I was changing my style by then. I was almost twenty and it felt time to not dress like a punk kid. I let go of a lot of the height of my pompadour too. Of course it was only a couple years later and it was going to be in fashion for me to get some of that long hair back. Yeah, you have to just love those kids from England.

One day after school let out for the summer and Joanie had some free time so she was down at the garage sitting and talking to me for a while. I know that wasn't real exciting for her and eventually she wandered her way over to Emma's. She knew Carol was over with Lisa and Joanie just couldn't pass a chance to fuss over that baby. Joanie left and almost as soon I saw Al's feet at the side of the car I was working on. I rolled out from under and looked up at him.

"You need something, Al?" I asked.

He turned and headed to his office and motioned for me to follow him. I got up and headed that way.

"Have a seat, son," he said and I did. "I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things."

"Should I be worried?" I asked.

"Not from me," he said, "Hell, I couldn't run this place without you though I get the feeling I'm going to have to someday. You looking at college, Jimmy?"

"I've been thinking about it," I answered, "Not sure where or what I'd study. Probably community college, night classes would work the best."

"Well, that means I get to keep you around for a little while anyway. That girl's good for you, you know that?"

I nodded; he didn't even know the half of it.

"That brings me to the other thing I wanted to talk to you about," he said seriously, "Are you going to marry that girl or just give her a reputation?"

"She won't get married until she graduates," I said, "And I wouldn't want her to either. But yeah, I'm planning on marrying her."

"I ain't seen no ring on her finger," he pointed out.

"I had some things to do before I could even think about getting engaged," I told him, "There was the whole conversion thing and then my G.E.D. Proposing comes next but don't be planning any weddings for soon. It looks to be a long engagement."

"Well, at least you're not planning on letting her get away."

Well, nothing MI centric for this chapter but whole lotsa Jewish stuff. I dropped little hints but perhaps his conversion still came as a shock. Things were very different then and damned few interfaith couples existed and even fewer lasted. Everything I said about Hebrew names is correct but there are other things to consider if naming a baby. Um, baby girls have a naming ceremony during services when the Torah is read. Baby boys are named at their bris which is their ceremonial circumcision. Hebrew names are used for official Jewish documents and for when a person is called to the Torah during temple.

Oh and while once only Jews were circumcized, it got into greater vogue for a while so Jimmy being well, you know, at birth would have been likely. It's more personal choice now and I don't think the rates are as high among non-Jews as they once were but then I consider myself Jewish so statistics for that are not something I concern myself with.

To say something like Chaim ben Avraham Avinu means Chaim son of Abraham, our father. It is for converts only because their birth parents don't matter as they are not Jewish. But if his son is called in temple he would be (insert child's name) ben Chaim. or whatever the child's name is, son of Chaim. And Chaim is pronounced kind of Khime but the beginning sound is like clearing your throat a little (or more like hocking a full on loogie). Um ger tzedeh is a convert to Judaism and should shut the old bat up for a little while. It is not endorsed by Jewish law to treat converts in a different manner than those born to the faith.

And how happy are we about little Bobby? Oh And Kid didn't see Lou because men weren't allowed in delivery in those days. He would have to wait for her to be moved to her regular hospital room before he would get to see her and he probably didn't even get to hold his son, they would have just shown him a baby in a bassinet as they wheeled it down to the nursery. Things were freakishly different back then. I just don't want anyone to think that Kid is being a bad husband or father or anything, that's just the way things were then.

And I have no idea what else might need explaining but I'm sure someone will let me know if I failed to define any other Hebrew or Yiddish terms. So, the Tigers were supposed to start the playoffs last night and they tried but the storm clouds wouldn't let them so I guess they'll try again tonight...but it's raining in NY right now. Oh sadness. But and cover your ears cuz I'm about to yell: MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS BEAT THE BUCKEYES! Hell yeah!-J