It’s the Fall of 2005, and Dad and I are grabbing a quick lunch at Goldie’s when his phone rings. Dad didn’t recognize the number but answered anyways and, a moment later, his face lit up with joy. He motioned to the door with his left thumb and headed outside to talk more freely with this mystery caller.
I continued to savor my Goldie’s special with cheese and gravy for my fries (nod to Dad – it’s a Canadian thing), and Dad soon walked back to the table with his eyes wide. His face begged the obvious – what was that call about? “Thanks for abandoning me,” I joked.
The caller, who shall remain nameless, was a close personal confidant of the late Pope John Paul II, who had passed away earlier in the year. The caller, who Dad had known for many years, was thinking of Dad and wanted to catch up, as they hadn’t spoken for some time. They both talked fondly of the late Holy Father and all that he meant to the both of them.
When the subject of the fall of communism came up, Dad said, “You know, I, along with the rest of the world gives credit to John Paul II for bringing the Berlin Wall down.” The caller said, “This is part of the reason why I wanted to call you. During one of the last conversations I had with the Holy Father, I mentioned the same thing to him (the Pope being responsible for the wall coming down). The Pope interrupted me and said, ‘No, Terry Law and Living Sound were responsible for bringing the Berlin Wall down.’” And Bob’s your uncle.