He’d taken great pride in both total recall and physical presentation his entire life. Maintained a meticulous Hollywood career and marriage, loved one woman for forty-five years and concurrently another for six seasons---cheating neither.

He’d been cast a coward at war -Attack- but, in truth had been awarded the Bronze Star with Combat “V” for his heroism during the invasion of Tarawa in November 1943.

So, when it made its approach his alarm was sharp to spot it. He stood before the bathroom mirror.

“No, please God.”

The farmhouse, long since restored before her passing was silent to his pleading.

The phone-no longer atop the pole-he forewarned himself:

“Keep your voice modulated.”

“Eb.”

“Dad! What’s up?”

He’d stopped repudiating the boy a lifetime ago:

“Please, Oliva’?”

He’d looked away from her.

“For me, dahling?”

Then back.

The comedy had long since calmed-plug pulled-life had taken over.

“We’ll go to the Judge?”

“Oliva’! I love you!”

And they’d gone the three of them, afterward celebrating the adoption at the Shady Rest; Joe, still moving kind of slow, the lady M.D., just as pretty as could be, the girls, Steve, their eternal baby Cathy-Jo and the old guard; Sam Drucker, the Kimballs, Hank and Ralph, and Ralph’s brother Alf. Even the venerable Mr. Haney made it, showed up with Arnold on the truck, Arnold’s mother and father had passed, the Hooterville Valley’s favored son was now cared for in turn by the aforementioned guard.

“Dad.” His son’s voice exhibiting the disappointment and panic that his father kept hidden.

“Yes, son.”

“I’ll take the next flight out. I’m on my way, dad.”

“Yes, Edward.”

He came. He stayed. As it crept closer, the black veil beginning to fall son cited father:

“You’re my hero.”

“And you’re the hero’s hero.”

A year and bit after, the hero’s hero would follow his father in.

Eddie Albert

Born: 22 April 1906

Died: 26 May 2005

Edward Albert

Born: 20 February 1951

Died: 22 September 2006