Kathy and I had a wonderful dinner yesterday evening at Kenosha’s Italian American Club with our friends Rita and Ben. . . and one of the most enjoyable aspects of eating there is that we always seem to run into all kinds of people there that we know. And Rita and Ben, both full-blooded Italians, experience the same thing there but times ten. But without a doubt the star attraction at our table was their gorgeous new baby boy, Vincenzo. All night long, a procession of friends visited our table to pay their respects and to ooh and aah over Kenosha’s handsomest new citizen. We’d already lost count of the visitors before we’d even been served our meal- and even as we were finishing our dessert there were still well-wishers stopping by. And with each and every person you could sense in them a very special sort of delight…. as if just by looking at little Vincenzo they were being transfused with a potent energy and vitality….. as if they were privileged to be seeing the most beautiful sight they’d ever seen.
But with all due respect to Vincenzo, who is indeed a beautiful little boy, the most beautiful sight of all was that parade of admirers who streamed by our table all evening long. I am not sure I have ever seen such a vivid picture of that old adage that It Takes A Village To Raise A Child. And this was just one part of Vincenzo’s “Village” – people who love him and his parents, who wish only the best for him and who will undoubtedly contribute to his well-being in one way or another in the years to come. I wish every baby in this world could be surrounded by such a lavishly loving circle of friends and family as is little Vincenzo. He is an amazingly blessed baby boy.
pictured above: Vincenzo, as he slept so soundly through most of our meal. By the way, if he was the second-most beautiful sight of the night, the third-most beautiful was our dessert. . . Orange Gagliano Cake, which is to dessert was the Cadillac is to cars.