A Chronicle Regarding David Socher and Those That Love Him
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Hi All,
Thank you so much for your love and prayers. We will continue to need them through this difficult time. Grandpa passed at about 1pm today, on the 17th of Tammuz 5769, July 9th 2009.
Dear Family, (I'm not quite sure how to post comments to the blog, I hope this works) my name is Lory (Lawrence) Robbin and I was a friend of David's from Cleveland High School in Reseda. I am deeply saddened to learn of David's passing. A beautiful, idiosyncratic, funny, joyful companion. He had quick laugh and an intelligence that would make my head spin.
I just now (April 30, 2012) happened to think of David, did a search, and came upon this blog.
Here are some memories starting with high school. I hope they reach you and add to your picture of David: I lived on Corbin Avenue on the border of Reseda and Canoga Park and David lived in Canoga Park with his father, mother, and brother Johnathan. I spent hours with David after school. His home was a sanctuary for me from my tumultuous family life. I often came over to David's house. We would talk about words, books, and ideas. There was lots of intellectual goofing off. Two of our favorite books at that time - Roger Price's "Avoidism", a philosophy for people who are troubled with copelessness or the inability to cope. The answer to copelessness: the philosophy of avoidism. Another favorite was "Three Men in a Boat" by Jerome K Jerome. During class he or I or both of us (I don't remember) would, reading the book under the desk, explode with laughter.
In David's room (a converted garage) after school, we would make up playful nonsense poems that would start, "Nail, snail, rail, pail, rake, fake, Jake's in Jail." There were jokes we wold invent with nonsense punch lines which we would then tell to unsuspecting listeners. We would laugh at the nonsense punch lines while our puzzled audience would laugh too as they tried to figure it out.
A decade later I made contact with David, Tammy (Shoshona) and the kids when they lived in Berkeley and I lived in Napa. As usual, we talked and hung out. Mostly David talked. And when David talked about abstruse philosophical ideas, I listened and did my best to follow. The family generously included me at seders. I joined the family on a vacation at Lake Tahoe. In those days and earlier in high school, I simply enjoyed hanging around my old friend. His was a safe, stimulating, humorous home. A place of curiosity, family and search and return to roots.
I lost touch after that. But old memories bubble up every once in awhile. And here we are now me writing this note year after David's passing. It is my fervent hope that love of family and friends never dies but somehow goes on forever. I hope that does not sound hopelessly sentimental.
My condolences to you, Tammy (Shoshona), David's children, grandchildren, and all of David's family and friends.
Pictures keep coming up: us, right out of high school, in the desert in the middle of nowhere outside Reno, Nevada hitchhiking to Chicago. Waiting for a ride, the big sky, the sage brush and empty expanse, on the verge of whatever there was to discover out there.
If you would like, I have photos of David and family from Berkeley days that I would be happy to share with you.
What a tough time. What great pictures of happier moments and memories. May you all be comforted with the mourners of zion and jerusalem.
ReplyDeleteWe will all miss him terribly.
You may be traveling today, but if any of you have the chance to post any details on the funeral time & place it would be helpful.
Dear Family, (I'm not quite sure how to post comments to the blog, I hope this works) my name is Lory (Lawrence) Robbin and I was a friend of David's from Cleveland High School in Reseda. I am deeply saddened to learn of David's passing. A beautiful, idiosyncratic, funny, joyful companion. He had quick laugh and an intelligence that would make my head spin.
ReplyDeleteI just now (April 30, 2012) happened to think of David, did a search, and came upon this blog.
Here are some memories starting with high school. I hope they reach you and add to your picture of David:
I lived on Corbin Avenue on the border of Reseda and Canoga Park and David lived in Canoga Park with his father, mother, and brother Johnathan. I spent hours with David after school. His home was a sanctuary for me from my tumultuous family life. I often came over to David's house. We would talk about words, books, and ideas. There was lots of intellectual goofing off.
Two of our favorite books at that time - Roger Price's "Avoidism", a philosophy for people who are troubled with copelessness or the inability to cope. The answer to copelessness: the philosophy of avoidism. Another favorite was "Three Men in a Boat" by Jerome K Jerome. During class he or I or both of us (I don't remember) would, reading the book under the desk, explode with laughter.
In David's room (a converted garage) after school, we would make up playful nonsense poems that would start, "Nail, snail, rail, pail, rake, fake, Jake's in Jail." There were jokes we wold invent with nonsense punch lines which we would then tell to unsuspecting listeners. We would laugh at the nonsense punch lines while our puzzled audience would laugh too as they tried to figure it out.
A decade later I made contact with David, Tammy (Shoshona) and the kids when they lived in Berkeley and I lived in Napa. As usual, we talked and hung out. Mostly David talked. And when David talked about abstruse philosophical ideas, I listened and did my best to follow. The family generously included me at seders. I joined the family on a vacation at Lake Tahoe. In those days and earlier in high school, I simply enjoyed hanging around my old friend. His was a safe, stimulating, humorous home. A place of curiosity, family and search and return to roots.
I lost touch after that. But old memories bubble up every once in awhile. And here we are now me writing this note year after David's passing.
It is my fervent hope that love of family and friends never dies but somehow goes on forever. I hope that does not sound hopelessly sentimental.
My condolences to you, Tammy (Shoshona), David's children, grandchildren, and all of David's family and friends.
Pictures keep coming up: us, right out of high school, in the desert in the middle of nowhere outside Reno, Nevada hitchhiking to Chicago. Waiting for a ride, the big sky, the sage brush and empty expanse, on the verge of whatever there was to discover out there.
If you would like, I have photos of David and family from Berkeley days that I would be happy to share with you.
Thanks, David...
- Lory Robbin (lrobbin@sbcglobal.net)