Reuben was a man of routines.
Today, I want no routines, I prefer simply to lie in bed, read books and watch movies. I will, however, through sheer force of will, get up, dress, and do my Pilates routine.
Reuben was devoted to his workouts and -- into his 90s -- went to the gym and did Pilates four times a week. It is beyond me how he skied and played tennis into his late 80s.
Several years ago, his brother -- my father Daniel -- fell and was recuperating in a nursing home in the neighborhood. Needing his classical music, I went to Radio Shack. Finding an old school FM radio, the young clerk told me he had to retrieve the model from the basement. Coming back up the stairs with it, he was clearly winded. “You need Mr. Pilates,” I told him.
“Mr. Pilates?” he asked.
“Yes, Mr. Pilates – my 90-year-old uncle. He goes to the gym and does Pilates four times a week.”
The clerk stared at me as if I was a creature from another planet.
“Maybe I should call him,” he laughed.
“Yes, you should,” I agreed.
I am devastated that I never interviewed Reuben, as I always said I would, about his attitude toward physical health. I remain grateful that we started the conversation, as we left a doctor’s appointment together, in late January.
“Our family always focused very heavily on intellectual rigor, which is wonderful. I felt that it was equally important to balance out the model with physical health, as well.”
“Ah, the Greek ideal…” I answered.
The very least I can do today is get out of bed and honor Reuben with my morning Pilates routine. If there is one thing I know, it will not be nearly as rigorous as his would have been.