A story shared by Mary Anne Brennan
Picture it: The St. Thomas Aquinas “backyard” that expanse of lawn behind the chapel and center, an August afternoon in the mid 1980′s. Tables were set up for a picnic, the grills were warming up, a few folks were pitching horse shoes, kids were running around, laughing, their parents sipped cold drinks in the shade under the trees…..
Bob Cook is standing there talking to various people as they go by. One of them was me. My two daughters, Annemarie and Catherine, still very young and somewhat respectful of their elders (my how time has changed 
were hovering around trying hard not to interrupt the grown up conversation. After a time, one of them – I think it was Catherine, but after all these years I can honestly say I don’t remember – noticed that Bob and I were wearing the same style of Adidas sneakers, right down to the 3 green stripes. The following conversation took place:
“Mr. Cook, ” she said, tugging at his hand.
“My name is Bob.” he answered her.
“Mr. Cook,” she said again.
“My name is Bob,” he answered again.
“OK,” she said, “Mr. Bob Cook,” tugging once more, “I wanna tell you
somet’in’”
“OK, what would you like to tell me?”
“Mr. Cook – I mean Bob Cook, you and my mom gots the same kind of
sneakers.”
“You’re absolutely right. They’re exactly the same.”
“No they’re not, Mr. C- oops, I mean Bob. They’re not quite the
same – my mom’s are CLEAN.”
And we all had a good laugh – especially Bob.
