Remembering My Friend, Brad Weiner

My eyes need not close to picture, my friend Brad Weiner, among other things a truly advanced lover of music, who died days back, “still (and forever) loved” at age 64, in so many moments of life.

He was a progressive man of peace, who loved his family and as he battled the reality of not walking and other ills, displayed a bravery that will always stay with me and hopefully ignite the “go on and do, button.”

Referenced here on numerous occasions (a couple of links to such posts later) he evokes memories good and bad of 3 great right fielders. The happier ones involve Henry Aaron and Frank Robinson (links below), the sad one, being Brad’s fateful call to me, informing that Roberto Clemente had been killed, trying to help others.

Oh life, oh death, oh time and waste thereof. Almost all seek the real answer and maybe a clue was the $21.21 bill (21 was Roberto’s #) at Trader Joe’s, a scant 2 days after Brad passed on.

A bigger one, perhaps, in finally trying to transfer tapes, the very first words from a random one of hundreds of tapes, were uttered by Alan Weiner, Brad’s brother.

The words referenced an early indication/idea Alan made, that so impressed another dear friend, Michael Santasieri. So help me, the FIRST WORDS!!

Brad, as with most of us was not going to be the next Paul Warfield (we both loved Paul, but “my” Browns traded him to “Brad’s” Dolphins), however what a great target, I as touch quarterback threw to often, most notably for the winning score, vs an adversary so good, I cite it as just “vs ORRIS.” (Rich Orris was intense and quite a player).

That made victory so sweet and I nearly broke Brad’s glasses in celebration.

Brad/”B.D.” aka “Doc,” read voraciously, noted and noticed what few did, not always, in fact, rarely, “in lockstep” with the crowd.

Brad was a thinker and his own man, a major reason I admired him so.

In closing and I hope to be on point, speaking at a Memorial Service for him tomorrow, two more memories, I invoked last Sunday, Brad’s last full day here. I hope, though in a coma, that he heard me.

One was thinking he retrieved the so called “miracle ball,” an entity that survived looming drainage areas and roofs, the latter thanks to Brad journeying onto to one (I would not) to again save “the miracle ball.”

I asked if he could provide the miracle and stay here with Jeanne, Kerry, Rachel, Alan and others and spring from the coma, the way I believe it was the great Alan Arkin’s “bad guy,” did and so startled Brad and I, who had been goofing around, not paying enough attention to Audrey (Hepburn) in the film version of “Wait Until Dark.”

That was not to be, however he is a presence, always was and always will be.

Go “get ’em” Brad, put (that first I can recall, other than Wilt (Chamberlain) headband on, and hoist up a few from way out–as you are now both close in our hearts, but way out, in another “there.”

 

 

Click below as Brad is referenced in posts regarding Frank Robinson and Henry Aaron.

More, Regarding Frank Robinson: A Game Ending Home Run

• Oh (How I Admire) Henry! Remembering The Indomitable Henry Aaron on January 23, 2021—–Brad is cited in the 14th paragraph.

 

Brad Weiner, my friend, pictured above.