My Cousin Steve

My Cousin Steve

I wrote these words many times in my mind yesterday as I dealt with the issues at hand. We are forever linked up by blood as cousins, even astrology finds us both as Aquarians, my birthday is the 5^th and yours has followed all my life on the 9^th. So while I enjoyed celebrating my new year last weekend I knew shortly afterward that you wouldn’t be here to celebrate yours. Today, I celebrate you Steve Platt and know that someday soon I will see you again.

My first memories were child hood ones although not many know that you and I went forward during a church service to give our hearts to the Lord, I believe I was 9 at the time

Your love of cowboys and Indians and bows and arrows were staples of our youth. You even made bows and arrows from the woods that bordered our yards

You were the George Harrison of our Beatles’ group. Terri was John, Keith was Ringo and I was Paul because I held the guitar left-handed

You was in the pool so much we called you Sea Hunt after Lloyd Bridges

We played a million wiffle ball games against the side of the house literally, then onto stickball and street hockey across the street. And don’t forget our 4 man softball team you, me, Keith, and Greg

I’ll never forget your early football years in Wanaque. I can still hear you laughing as you caught passes from Bo and no one could catch up to you

In high school you were all everything in football as a tight end on offense and defensive end. Equally dominant were your skills in baseball a great defensive catcher who hit monstrous homeruns. I believe one is still going that you hit over the football press box in Franklin and onto Route 23. I never forget the State game when you were a sophomore and me, Kevin, and Jackie were just about to leave when some guy from Rutherford tried to throw a 0-2 fastball by you. I can still hear the crack of the bat as the ball flew over the fence at the old Lakeland baseball field; there was also the Connie Mack game in Paterson where you hit 2 blasts off the big tall kid for the Kings.

I remember you, me, Keith and my Dad sitting at Shea as your beloved Cincinnati Reds were playing the Mets in the playoffs. Pete Rose and Buddy Harrelson were fighting out near second base and you and I were rooting for Petey Ballgame

I remember you and me going out to Shea for a Jets game. Final St Louis Cardinals 37 New York Jets 6, some things never change

I remember trying to draw better than you but I never accomplished that either

It’s hard to believe Steve that you left us 27 years ago, there’s not a day that all of us don’t think of you and wish you were but I know you’re in a better place. Writing these thoughts to paper have brought tears to my eyes but laughter to my heart as I think of our time we spent and like I said before I know I will see you soon.

Love you cousin doing what I can to make sure I see you again. Happy Birthday!

Aaron