The Charlottesville 29

Evolutionary biologists say we are hard-wired for reciprocity. When we receive a favor, we inherited from our ancestors an impulse to return it. Marketers exploit this by offering free gifts to prompt sales. And while there may be scientific explanations for the trait, there is also a beautiful one. Love.

“A shared joy is a double joy; a shared sorrow is half a sorrow.” When food or drink brings us joy, we feel an impulse to share that joy. The joy of others then brings us more joy.

On March 29, 2020, my friend Jason Okusa swung by my house to drop off a bagel from Belle that he was excited about. A dutiful social-distancer, he said he would leave it at my front door. I was experimenting with a new cocktail at the time, and, pleased with the results, I left one on the doorstep for him. Just as he sought to share in my joy from the bagel, I sought to share in his joy from the cocktail.

Those acts of love inspired other similar acts, and soon Jason had a name for it: LATTAT — Leave a treat, take a treat. It’s a practice that others have emulated, spreading even more joy. (Try it yourself! #lattat)

The cocktail was a Dad’s Counsel. Years later Steve Russell described it best in Garden & Gun magazine: “Davidson started with the harmonious pairing of Campari and sweet vermouth, but he couldn’t decide whether to add gin for a negroni or bourbon for a boulevardier, both classic cocktails with an alluring sweet-bitter balance. That’s when he called upon the sage advice his father would offer when faced with two appealing options, such as where to dine or what dessert to order: Why not both?”

The first LATTAT, March 29, 2020

This week marked three years since the death of the man for whom the cocktail is named. It also marked another act of love. Gelato genius PK Ross, of Splendora’s, made a Dad’s Counsel gelato. It is, of course, delicious.

At my father’s memorial service, I spoke of another way of spreading joy:

My father’s optimism was infectious. His spirit touched everyone in this room. His optimism became our optimism, and then ours became others’, and so on throughout the world. Though life left my father’s body last month at a hospital room in Florida, his spirit lives on in the optimism he spread to us, and we spread to others.

And so, death be not proud, my father’s spirit will continue to live on so long as we continue to do as he did: recognize the things that can’t be helped, so we may focus our love and attention on the things that can.

In this spirit, and in the spirit of LATTAT, let’s share the joy of Dad’s Counsel gelato. I bought some for anyone who wants it. Just head to Splendora’s Gelato to share the joy. And spread some yourself.