MISSISSIPPI HIGHBALL!

There have been recent discussions of the life of Pope Leo XIV, but I was struck by the fact he was simply known as Father Bob. We, too, had a Father Bob in our life journey, but not the same one.

Our Father Bob came into the priesthood after working first as a shoe salesperson. Father Bob sensed we were going to become friends when he asked Big Guy about his religious background, and Big Guy exclaimed he was a pedestrian. Father Bob did not blink an eye at our first meeting, but he loved to recount the story in later years with a hearty laugh. He was a constant source of joy, and we were blessed to get to know the man behind the collar.

I tell you this story only to share Father Bob’s favorite drink. He would stop by our house for dinner and would always request a Mississippi Highball. I was ready to run to my cocktail book for the recipe on his first visit when he and Big Guy started laughing. “Dr. B, it is tap water with ice.” Only in Saint Louis, am I right?!