Somewhere in the early nineties I had tickets to an opera at Lyric. I was going to see “Otello” by Rossini. I bought the tickets to impress a girl who loved opera.
I was able to talk opera with this girl because I had a book that Mrs. Haas let me borrow a couple years earlier.
Mrs. Haas always greeted me, “Hey Big John, how are the Republicans doing?”
I still had the book that Mrs. Haas let me borrow and it had a chapter on “Otello.” I took notes on that chapter so I could talk about it on my date. I bought the CD to get familiar with the music.
The opera was fantastic, but the date didn’t pan out. We went to Greektown and had nothing in common. She talked about other operas more than the one we were going to see. The date was a flop, but my love for opera was born. Every time I’d run into Mrs. Haas I’d tell her I still needed to return her opera book.
“Oh Big John, keep it a little longer. You might have another opera date. Hopefully she’s a democrat!”
That opera book is still in my bookcase. I’ve used it for reference many times in the last thirty years. I never gave it back to Mrs. Haas.
Over the weekend Mrs. Haas bought tickets for her first opera at The Heavenly Opera House. Lois Haas has a box seat with Mr. Haas and her loved ones in Eternal Peace. Hopefully Ron and Nancy Reagan have the box next to her.
From now on when I pull out that book I’ll think of the great stories about Mrs. Haas. This Friday the boys and I are getting together with Danny Haas for our annual reunion. The stories will be many as our memories of Lois Haas will come to life.
I’m at an age where all my friends are losing their parents. It is a sad period for my age group, but that’s life.
I guess the only good thing about the Biden Administration is a Democrat was in the White House at the end of Mrs. Haas’ life.
Enjoy the opera in heaven Mrs. Haas and thanks for letting me borrow your book all these years. I picked an Emily Dickinson quote for you today.
