My cousin Toni, who I affectionately call my twin, has come into town from Maryland this week. The occasion is somber, her father passed. She’s very heartbroken over the loss as you can imagine.

She called me at work to give me the news and asked if she could go see mom. Ah…of course! I know mom would love to see her. So, we met up after work and headed home.

Once she hit the door, the laughter never stopped. When we’re together it gets out of control. In a good way. The first thing she asked me to do, once I changed my clothes, was to take her to Paganos Steaks on Ogontz Ave.

They make the best massive beef and chicken steaks. If it’s a steak sandwich she wants, so it’s a steak sandwich she’ll get. I haven’t had a chicken cheese steak in about two years and now looked forward to the treat.

During the drive, I tried to explain that the shop makes a huge sandwich and it usually takes me a few days to eat it. She didn’t believe me.

We watched them make the steaks and then they placed her steak onto the foil to be dressed and wrapped. I looked at her and said, “That’s yours.”

I have to pause here and apologize. I was without a camera and missed a Kodak moment. Her eyes grew to the size of saucers and she last her words. The sandwich was massive! You cannot close this sandwich. Naturally, i laughed while she tried to answer the man behind the counter asking what she wanted on her steak sandwich.

It’s never a dull moment when we’re together. I’m happy I was able to make her laugh a little instead of crying.