West Cocoa Chat

"The Phantom ." That was one of several monikers my Dad hung on one of my best friend's father, Edwin Defren. Ed left this world last night in South Florida. Ed is survived by his wife, Marilyn, and 3 adult children, my good friend Bob, his brother Garth, and his sister Vicky. Out of all my friends I've know Bob the longest. I was 8 years old going into the third grade when we moved to Cocoa, Florida. My Dad was discharged from the Army and working at the Space Center around the time of the Apollo 1 disaster when we moved a few houses down from the Defren's.

Bob was the first kid I met in my new neighborhood and we quickly became friends. As happens so often when kids become friends our parents became friends as well. As I'm sure Bob's Mother, Marilyn would tell you, our parents were such good friends that when Bob and I drove Mrs. Defren crazy at her house, she would yell (that's back when yelling at kids wasn't a crime punishable by hanging) at us and say something like, "O.K. you two, I've had enough! Go over to Cecil's house and drive his Mother crazy!" We would by the way.

I don't remember Ed being around much when we were playing as kids but then most Dads were "away" at work. Ed however had a habit of disappearing for a few days of which my Dad immediately noticed. My Dad as I've chronicled in past posts, being a Sargent in the Army as well as being from (and I say this with much pride) Alabama, was the King of hanging nicknames and sayings that described folks in our sphere of influence, hence the name, "The Phantom."

As we got older and entered High School, I began to appreciate my Dad's enjoyment at teasing Ed when he saw him by asking, "Hey Phantom, where have you been disappearing to lately?" Ed would just smile and give an almost "John Madden" type chuckle and grumble," Well, you know.." and then grumble some more.

Ed in those days was a large man kind of like John Madden. In fact, I remember being at Bob's one day for dinner. We were seated around the table, someone said a prayer, and we were about ready to eat when Bob says to me, "Cecil, grab your plates!" When I asked why Bob said, "Because "Big Eddie" is fixing to eat and the suction sound might be the food coming off your plate!" I don't think Ed was too happy about Bob's portrayal but it made a memory.

The memory of Ed I'll leave you with came at my Dad's viewing when he died in 1988. Most people had left the funeral home but Ed and Marilyn had hung around. Ed walked up to my Dad's casket holding a Cross. In a tender moment that still brings tears to my eyes some 20 years later, I saw Ed look at his good friend, my father, he held his Cross and he said a prayer for my Dad. The "Phantom" was saying goodbye to his good friend as we will now say goodbye to him.