Member-only story
It Was an Unseasonably Cold Day for a Funeral
Nothing was as it should be that day
I drove by his house today.
For years I pulled into that driveway to pick him up for school. He usually ran a little late, and I can picture him running out the front door with his backpack hanging open, and his arms full of books.
His mom would wave from the window as he piled into the car with all his gear and I would smile and wave back.
The memory brought tears to my eyes.
A few blocks later, I thought I saw him walking his dog. Slowing down to wave, I suddenly realized it wasn’t him. It would never be him again.
I turned around and drove home, no longer having the energy for the grocery store.
It’s hard to believe he is gone.
He had an infectious laugh that spread through every space like wildfire. When the giggling youngsters in the school carpool got so loud that they had to be shushed, he would immediately comply. But soon, there would be another round of laughter, and he was often responsible for the outburst.
He was tenacious and once ate a large bowl of chili with just a tortilla chip as a spoon. Once that chip got soggy, it was challenging, but he didn’t give up until he had emptied his bowl.
