Jilline Ringle

I don't know how many of you will recognize her name, but Jilline was a terifically entertaining actress and performer. I remember her one-woman show Mondo Mangia fondly -- in it, she'd tell stories of her family and sing classic songs, all the while cooking an Italian meal, served to the audience at the end. It was a wonderful, heartfelt show, crystalizing a message that's stayed with me to this day.

Food is love. I remember Jilline saying it, and how real it felt then, and still feels. It made me all the more grateful for the many home-cooked meals my mom made, the burgers my dad grilled, all of it. And it occured to me again tonight as I came home to Kathy feeling a bit under the weather, so I made dinner for her. (I can kiss her and tell her I love her all I want, but it's not chicken. Chicken is chicken, and it can do the job just as well -- although I admit it helps to do both.)

It's a simple message that adds richness to any meal, and it may stick with me for the rest of my life. So I've got plenty to thank Jillene for already. That's on top of the entertainment I got from the plays she performed in. She was a talented actress, and she's gone from us far too soon.

I didn't know her. I just gave her a good review or three, back when I was doing that sort of thing. God knows she earned them. Anyway, I'm ill-equipped to write any sort of obituary; if you want, Philadelphia Weekly has one here. I just wanted to take a moment to note her passing, and wish I could see her perform Mondo Mangia one last time.

Rob