Daniel W. Kravetz

July 28th, 2016

One time, back in the Nineties, I went to a Cubs game with Dan. He had with him one of the then-latest-and-greatest of pieces of new technology, a shoe-box-sized portable phone which had its phone number marked on its back side. He was very proud to be one of the first in the neighborhood with a portable phone, even if it did weigh about 25 pounds. Sitting next to Dan was a very pretty young girl (perhaps twenty-something) who was with a few other pretty young girls. Behind us were a few young guys who tried repeatedly throughout the game to impress the young ladies. Dan and I were amused by the (unsuccessful) persistence of the nice young men. The baseball game progressed, and I have to admit, I do not remember who was playing or who won, but at about the 5th or 6th inning, Dan received a call on his phone:

Caller: “Hello, Dan?”

Dan: “Yes, who is this?”

Caller: “Dan, I’d like to talk to the girl sitting next to you.”

Dan: “What?!”

Caller: “I am one of the guys sitting behind you, and I am in the rear of the ballpark on a public phone. I saw the phone number on the back of your phone, and thought I’d give you a call. Can you please let me talk to the girl next to you?”

Dan: “OK.” Then, nonchalantly to the girl next to him: “It’s for you.”

Needless to say, the young man broke the ice and made an impression with the young girl, because they left the park together.

Dan was fun. I will miss him.

Larry SLonina

~Larry Slonina
~Friend, Glenview, IL