PrintRest in Peace: Robert Graham, Everyone's Best Friend at Fairway
"Robert was a total mensch, a smiling, gentle presence in a store that often resembles a food shopper's battlefield."
I was checking out of the express line at Fairway when I saw a a poster with a big photo of Robert Graham, one of the managers at Fairway and the general manager I could always count on in times of need or desperation. I read the copy on the poster in disbelief. It was an in-store eulogy. Robert had passed away suddenly last week. I started to tear up. Robert was a total mensch, a smiling, gentle presence in a store that often resembles a food shopper's battlefield.
I started looking for someone who could explain what happened. I spotted Mitchel London standing outside the store. "What happened to Robert?" I practically screamed. Mitchel explained that Robert had died a week ago Saturday. He had been attending a birthday party for his father with his wife and daughter when he suffered an asthma attack. Usually Robert brought his inhaler everywhere, but somehow, tragically, he had forgotten to bring it to the party.
Anyone who has ever shopped at Fairway will miss his calming presence and the ever-present twinkle in his eye. You will be sorely missed, Robert, but never forgotten.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
3 Comments:
My wife and I were in Fairway about 11pm on Saturday night when we saw the sign at the deli counter and both broke down. We loved Robert so very much. He was a real ray of sunshine in our lives.
evangelist at 5:32PM on 04/28/08
Ed - Great post. He was a gem. We UWSers are lucky enough to have Fairway as our neighborhood store, and were even luckier to have someone so special as its maestro. I can still hear his voice..."next on 4 young man!!"
harrison at 11:58AM on 04/29/08
Ed, I'm stunned and saddened to hear this. As a Fairway alum, I have great memories of morning coffee and clever repartee with Robert and Steve as we set up the department.
kycheesemonger at 3:27PM on 08/10/08