Jerry

Jerry

I’m not one to go to funerals.
I’ll send a card, a condolence or I’ll call and express my emotions but, when it comes to attending ?
I don’t
& I know I should !
& there are times when I have no choice and I MUST but, truth be told ?
I’d just rather stay away

& then there’s my father.
I swear, the man is a SAINT.
He not only goes, he serves at funerals too.
Dad has become the top, go-to guy when the priest needs an alter attendant.
He is always ready, always willing to help

& he has this friend, Jerry.

Jerry worked with Dad back in the day and they have kept in touch throughout the years
& for awhile, Jerry was the organizer of lunches, where he’d corral the Mold Foundry boys to enjoy reminiscing, coffee and good food.
But, little by little, that group of cronies dwindled down to not many showing up anymore, so they halted the gatherings
& somewhere in this process Jerry became the caller guy.
Sometimes Jerry would phone Dad just to chat and catch up on things but occasionally, he’d quietly relate the death of a pal
& together, Dad and Jerry would go to the wake, the funeral, continually doing what needed to be done.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard the words, ‘Jerry called’  as my father would ask if I remembered so and so from all those steel mill stories and long ago events
& only a few months ago, as Dad and I just happened to be walking our trail walk together, lo and behold !! there was Jerry !
& of course we stopped to chat
& as I politely left those men to continue their long conversation because I had other places to be, I thought “FRIENDS !!”

Friends.

So life continued and Jerry would contact, as this group of buddies slowly declined.

Then two days ago, Dad called me.
Jerry’s name was in the newspaper obituaries that morning
& that just makes my heart so very sad.

Why am I telling you all this ?
Because this life we live is So. Incredibly. Precious.
& here we are, fuming and fussing and fighting and spending our priceless moments angry.
Infinitely angry.
When, when ?? will we wake up and realize ?!!?

Oh, Jerry.
I know it was your time and we will all, one day, walk that same glorious path to our ‘next’ but, dang guy, Dad and I are sure going to miss those phone calls.

🙂

I Am My Feelings