I am getting to the point where I am collecting the e-mail addresses left in a copybook I had my “sitters” write in somewhere in the process of sketching them.  I find that, like most people, they are divided between those who have e-mails and those who have no idea what they are missing.  But, among the names in that copybook, I remember some unforgettable people whose lives were touched in the fifteen to twenty minute session where their left profiles were rendered in pencil and charcoal.  Each had a story to tell although I found that I led the way explaining who I was and why I was doing this suspect thing of working to give them a portrait of themselves while only expecting “interesting conversation” in return.

We actually had two distinct trips on the Westerdam.  The first was to the Eastern Mediterranean from Citavecchia, Rome while we remained on board when the ship returned to Citavecchia and then went on to the western destination to Ft. Lauderdale where we were so close to home.  We were lucky to be seated at a table for meals along with a family from New Zealand, but I will not speak about them at this time.  The second half of the trip included being seated at the same table but with different table mates.  Of these, the Rev. Walter Kelley impressed us both.  
This is about him.

He was on board the Westerdam as the Protestant clergyman who held non-denominational services for the non-Catholics who were very well organized and taken care of by the resident Priest.  Walter announced that he was going to sermonize about the Jewish Prayer Shawl at his next service.  We decided to go to show solidarity with him and were curious to see how he would handle it.

Mrs. Kelley is also a reverend, too.  They work together and she handles the hymns and makes sure that everyone is welcomed.  But, Walter sermonized by “doing” and that was what attracted us and gave him the high sign that all was going well after he announced that we were in the congregation.  It was a curious way to spend an evening while on board a cruise ship but on the previous Shabbat, Carol took the bit in her teeth and led the service of an inter-denominational group of Jews, most of who were not comfortable with the Reform prayer book.

But, this was about Walter Kelley.  He brought out a prayer shawl with lots of fringes and shot through with threads of blue. He bought it in Jerusalem and it was large covering his head with it closing it in on him to illustrate that one provided an intimate and private place to hold a conversation with God.  He did well. He is unforgettable because of his truly interdenominational approach that included a couple of Jews from Florida.