Before the trip, each father gave his son an item for protection. Al gave Christian his gold chain. Al had worn it, with its two amulets, since before his marriage to Cece. Christian now wears it to call upon its strength. Carl “Old Man” gave JB the cross he’d worn around his neck for his whole life. The cross reminds JB of his family. It seems that the symbolic nature of the necklaces is important among people with Italian heritage. On his father’s side, Max is of primarily Romanian Jewish ancestry. Jeffrey gave Max a complete first aid kit, from bandages and Neosporin to epinephrine and sutures. We all use it regularly. Each gift is significant in its own way and has served its purpose for each of us. Thanks, dad.
