Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-10-17
jim BISHOP:
REPORTER

The difference between this
man and the one of long ago
is considerable. When he was
a police lieutenant, he
weighed 254. Today he is
$50. He used to swing his
arms and take long steps
with his chin high. Today,
the head is bowed, the hair
snowy, and the step is a hesi-
tant shuttle.
He spends his time in a
small room at my sisters
house. In it are pictures Of
my mother, a few religious
pictures, a gold clock, a hos
pital bed which he never uses,
a big chair, q portable tele-
vision set, a hassock, a bridge
table, hosts of newspapers, a
small library, and bottles Of
pills. When he gets it all
Strengthened out, there isn't
room to escape to the bath
room.
The mind Is quick and sure.
He reads everything, loves
conversation, and appears to
slip only on names. He
shoots an excellent game of
pool, loves to go to sea on
the boat. complains Of his
wind" adds up his great
grandchildren and comes UP
one short. Sometimes he
winks at proper ladies and
when I asked him why, he
said That's what I've got
left"
He lives in North Bergen,
N. j., but the geographical
love of his life is Florida.
He insists that there is no
place in the world like it,
although he has never been
west of Chicago, nor east Of
New Hampshire. He comes
alive in Miami, although he
almost died there of q sleepy
heart last spring. On occa-
sion, when I mention the
name of DR.. Martin Belle, my
father lifts his hat and bows
his head. He was saved by
the Belle.
HE CANNOT BEAR to see
a child punished for any IN
fraction, although he was a
pretty tough cookie in my
time. He believes in ghosts,
spirits and the Little People
of Ireland, although he smiles
derisively at anything which
is not scientifically logical"
He has opinions on every
thing and everyone. If you
do not agree with him, he
will explain patiently and in
some detail. If you still do
not understand, you are be-
yond hope and should be
playing short for the Bloomer
Girls. In his world, there are
two reasons: One in which
baseball is played, and the
dull season. Christmas is a
milestone because it is ITO
days until the opening at
the stadium.
At one time, he loved win
ter and deep SHOWS and muf-
fled hoofbeats and the SPAR
kle Of a streetlight on a drift.
Now, If the temperature rises
ten degrees, he wants his air
conditioner on. If 1t drops
that much, he'll boiler for
heat. When he forgets the
names of the women in this
family. all the females be-
come sis"
His sense Of humor Is
enormous. If the doctor tells
him to strip, and bursts into
laughter at my fathers skim
ny figure, John Bishop bursts
into laughter too. In his
night prayers, he tries to re-
member all his friends who
have departed, and, as he gets
older, the list grows inter-
minably long and he fights
to remain awake until he
murmurs the last name.
He likes two highballs in
the evening because we won't
give him three. John enjoys
food, and likes to flatter the
cook. Years ago. he used to
love a salt herring for
breakfast, or yesterdays beef
stew. He is meticulous about
his person and his morning
additions require consider
able time. He comes to the
table sparkling - even the
shoes.
LONG AGO, he was afraid
of age and didn't like to face
it. Now he tries to pretend
he's an ancient who has out
lived everybody. When I say
he'll be 10 next week, he cor
reefs me: I'm going into my
80th year"
At night. he waits until
everybody is in bed, then he
starts to read books. He Will
read until 3 am. Before he
retires, he lays out tomor-
rows pills in a special bottle,
as precisely as he lays out
fresh underwear and shirts,
and goes to bed in a chair
thinking about all the won
ders he CLEANS from books.
John Bishop is a romantic,
a SentimentaliSt, a logician
terms which are not always
compatible. He's the great
est of them all.
Ring Features Syndicate, Inc.l