Monday, July 27, 2020
Even when we were kids growing up in the same Washington Heights neighborhood, it was obvious that Pete Davey had an inquiring mind. In high school, college, and after, you could always count on him for a good discussion or debate, often kicked off by the “what if” hypotheticals he liked to pose. And Pete asked the big questions, like does God exist, what’s the purpose of life, and do the bars close at 3:00 AM or 4:00 AM on Saturday night.
When our little group gathered on the street corner or at the far end of Angland’s bar, Pete would often get us started with his sly lead-in, “I’ll tell you, man…unbelievable…” then advance some contrarian position that he knew would get under somebody’s skin. Soon we were debating happily. At least that’s the way we saw it. If you weren’t paying attention, you might think it was a bunch of guys talking over one another, understanding nothing, and laughing most of the time
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Pete loved to laugh, and a good joke or put-on was high on his list of favorite things. For example, if you were walking down the street with Pete, you had to be on your toes. If he saw two guys coming the other way – the bigger, the better – he would wait until they were abreast of us, say loudly, “Take ‘em, Mac!” and then cut loose with his crazy laugh. This routine never got old (to Pete), and hearing how much he enjoyed it almost made you enjoy it yourself.
Underneath the prankster and the debater was a serious intellect. He was always trying to improve himself. Have you read this? What are you reading? What do you think of it? I was lucky to have him as a friend. Rest in peace, Pete,
Mac
