Those who go before

[fbhjr]

A lot of things this week have reminded me of people dying.
Just today on the way home from work I was thinking that it had been almost 20 years since my parents put my last dog to sleep.
As I thought about it, the song my wife and I associate with the death of my father randomly came up on my iPod.

I tend to attribute this sort of thing to it being October and lots of ghost stories going on.
But, still, I thought there was more than normal.

So, tonight when my phone rang and it was my mother’s sister’s number, I worried a bit.
As I’ve said before, I’ve been disowned by most of my mother’s family. And, my aunt is the only member who still has anything to do with me.
She’s in her late 70’s with heart problems. And, I really hoped it wasn’t her husband with bad news.

It wasn’t. It was my aunt.
"Has your mother called you?" she asked.
"No, of course not," I said.
"You’re aunt Dorothy died today," she told me. "She’s been sick for a long time and was not a surprise."
She agreed to let me know about the details of any memorial thing and talked a bit about our lives before hanging up.

My aunt Dorothy was the husband of my mother’s brother. My uncle Ted is my godfather and lives 6 miles from me. I’ve suggested we should get together and he’s said "maybe next month" for the last 3 years. So, I have stopped asking.

As I understand it, as his wife Dorothy has succumbed to dementia over the last few years he has taken to driving around town sneaking out to restaurants to get better food than their retirement home. He hid an apartment from his wife so he had some place to go on his own.
He’s a one eyed old Navy captain who has a secret HQ and goes on food raids to the locals.

I feel bad for my cousins. There are 4 of them and they are fairly close to each other. But, their mother’s death was probably not unexpected.

We’ll see about going to any services. We leave for Alabama Wednesday night. And, I’m not sure they’ll get it together before then.
If I’m not out of state I’ll go.
But, I’m not changing the trip for it.

Comments

[morgan-lafaye.livejournal.com]

I am sorry for her passing. I hate to say this, but I was glad it was not the Aunt I know.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

As was I.

[angelamermaid.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it was that aunt calling you, not someone calling you about that aunt.

Thank you for this post - I was just wondering why I put myself through dinner with my brother and SIL tonight. You've reminded me why - family doesn't last forever.

[chaquir.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry she passed but it's good it wasn't your aunt itself who passed on

[endlessblush.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear the week has brought up so many memories that aren't good :(

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Like others said, I'm sorry she passed on, but I'm glad it wasn't the aunt.

[hindustar.livejournal.com]

Sorry for the loss.