I'm Thinking Of You

In just a few short days I will be seeing some people I have not seen in, well, 40 years.  Some I don't expect to see again.  You see it is our 40th year class reunion coming up.  When we were in High School and Seniors to boot, we could not have imagined being out of school for 10 years much less 40.

But that is how it goes.  We blink an eye and life is mostly gone.  For some of that class, life is totally gone.  As in any group of people we have lost some of ours to death already.  I think of them.

I don't get to see my family as often as I would like, my brother's having their lives and me mine.  My cousins are busy with their lives and managing retirement plans and businesses.  We are not as close as we once were but I think of them.

I see familiar faces in town at the store or at Little League Baseball.  People that I know I should know and whose names were once as familiar to me as my own.  Mostly I wonder if they remember who I am.  Some I am glad don't recognize me.  Admit it, you have people in your life like that as well.  I think of them.

I have a friend that will be doing my memorial service that I communicate with almost on a daily basis.  He is more than a friend, and I have trust in him to keep me laughing about something.  Mostly it is some out of left field that gets us all going and the giggles started.  I think of you.

All of these people I think of nearly on a daily basis.  Some on an hourly basis.  I don't tell them a lot that I think of them and that is a failing on my part.  So today, I want you to know that I am thinking of you.  Not for what you have done and will do for me.

If I have not told you lately, I just want you to know....... I'm thinking of you.



Until next time.................

Dying Laughing

It seems in life I have responded to serious illnesses by saying things that get everyone around me laughing.  Don't get me wrong I would never be a stand-up comedian or anything.  On an open mic night at a comedy club, and me being the only contestant, I would still loose.  That's how bad the jokes are.

At the VA ALS Clinic today, was one of those times.  It wasn't so bad with the doc and intern, but right after them came the psychologist.

Yeah.

Uh hu.  Hummmm I went there.

It was insane every cliche and bad psycho joke started running through my head.  But this time I didn't start it.  No really.  My oldest daughter that I love dearly, and whom will be brought up on justifiable homicide charges after she reads this, started it.  My first reaction was that they had finally caught up with me and I would be seeing the nice young men in those little white coats in a few seconds.  HER first response was to laugh and say, "With our family, doctor you can finally retire!"

This in the first few seconds she was in the room.  That was the high water mark.  Believe me it went down hill fast from there.

I won't, for legal purposes and for protection of the guilty, repeat any more of the conversation.

She, the psychologist, has a hard enough job as it is I suppose.  Talking to the living dead about how they are dealing with the fact that all too soon they will cease being the living dead and just be dead.  Now how bad a job is that?  I doubt that any amount of training would ever get me to where I could do that.  At least with a straight face.

All I can say is, Doc thanks for laughing a while with us for a while and letting us forget in our laughter that pain of knowing, and being so damn scared for just a little bit.  I hope it was good for you as well.

For the curious, I guess I passed, cause I got to go home.



Until next time.................