For One More Day

Hello to all fellow peers!

As promised, this blog will be dedicated to Mitch Albom's For One More Day. (I will try to be as detailed as I can. Be patient!) For One More Day basically covers everything, from divorce to suicide, to regret and hope. More importantly, the book's theme is parenthood and challenges people to be more appreciative of their parents. The book's essential question is: What will you do if you had the chance to spend a day with a deceased loved one?

The story starts out with a reporter interviewing Charley Benetto, an ex- major league baseball player. Charley begins his story on the night he attempted suicide:
Having lost his family, job, and reputation, he has become dependent on alcohol as a pain reliever. Now, broken-hearted, drunk and regretful, Charley drives out to his hometown, in hopes to take his life. As he staggers home, he finds his mother, now eight years deceased, is waiting for him with open arms and love. Naturally, Charley is flabbergasted at his discovery and begins asking questions and commences a commotion. His mother is unaffected and offers him food and a place to sleep as if nothing has happened. After an exhausting and strange day, gives in and takes the offer.

Before, I continue on with the story, there are some things you need to know. When Charley was a kid, his father said, “You can be a mama’s boy or a daddy’s boy, but you can’t be both.” He chose his father. Charley, looked up to his father, Len, and constantly wanted to make him proud. Len served in WWII and pushed Charley to be a tough son, free from emotions. His mother, Pauline (Posey) was a beautiful lady with the personality to match. She on the other hand, wanted Charley to be a gentleman.
Len and Posey, were a handsome couple that upheld a love/hate relationship. One day, Charley and Roberta (Charley's little sister), found their mother crying in the kitchen. Len had left them.

The next morning, Charley and his mother set off on a walk. Pauline, walks him to the park and point out a tree with the word, "Please." carved. (I believe this is the sweetest thing a mother can ever tell you.) Pauline wanted a baby, and when everything failed, she'd pray every night and day. "Please", was a prayer for Charley, he was wanted and he was the "wish granted".

As the day goes on, they visit three people.
Rose, an old patient of Pauline when she was a nurse.
(Once Pauline was a single woman again, the hospital fired her and accused her of "distracting the employees." Therefore, she turned to become a hairdresser in order to support her family.)
Miss Thelma, the Benetto's housekeeper; Pauline worked as a housekeeper as well, to put Roberta and Charley through college.
The last person they visited, was an elderly italian woman. As Charley attempted to identify the woman, Pauline confessed what happened the night before Len left. Late at night, Len left the house and Pauline followed him to the next town. It turned out that, Len led a secret life with the woman he met during WWII, and that was when it all ended.

After that strange encounter, he feels ashamed of himself and gives up alcohol, begins to reconnect with his family and earns his daughter's forgiveness. Charley, was a changed man.

Remember that reporter? Guess who it was. It was his daughter.

I hope i did a good job at summarizing the story, but i STRONGLY encourage people to read it. I can promise you that at some point, you will cry and the message will stick with you.

If you have any further questions, ask! I apologize if i sounded a bit vague.