Tim says: As a teenager, Phil used to dive for coins tossed into the ocean by tourists aboard the cruise ships off Catalina. The water was deep and chill, but Phil would swim down and down, snatching the coins as they fell glittering into the darkness. This determination, this ability to go to the profound depth of things, was something that Phil brought to every endeavor, whether it was growing cycads, raising Koi fish or running his ever-growing aluminum business.
He had a deep, exuberant curiosity about life and people. And he treated everybody as equals. When my uncle, often lazing in his boxers watching a game on TV after long hours at APP, would say: "So, McGirk! What the hell is going on?" You knew he really wanted to know, and he demanded a certain rigor in the thinking that went into your reply. Phil was so articulate, so lucid, in the way he spoke that I think some of that rubbed off on all of us, even me, the distant nephew. He was a wise and wonderful influence throughout my life, and I'll miss him.
...and also, this diving youth made a big splash with Audrey Wiseman, who he wooed and won over in Avalon.
ReplyDeletePerry Paul, one of Phil's life-long friends who used to dive for the coins, still is living in Southern California. After Phil protected him from a gang of bullies, Perry became part of the Keeler clan, hanging around the house all the time. His dad wanted to give Phil a Bar Mitzvah when he rutned 13, but Mary Keeler, raised a catholic, was not keen.
ReplyDeletein my eyes Phil could do no wrong.A long time ago during a dinner at Lawry's in LA where i was to meet the family,phil asked me what my religion was.As I finally admitted that I didn't have any Phil laughed his wonderful laugh and said"that's ok,neither do I " to my everthankful relief...I can still hear him call out "dr domi"...
ReplyDelete