detour from a grave i dug so long ago to another that i did not
taking a bath to wash off all the sand from the beach and then into my car with no destination in particular, i ended up driving back roads toward iola.
it was instinctual. all those days i drove 16.4 miles to his house to see him, when i realized where i was going i turned down a side road and ended up at the cemetary that three of my grandparents are buried. momentarily, i wished i had brought flowers, but it was comforting to be distracted from the place my body habitually drove to. parking my car i walked to my grandpa sill's grave and sat down crossed legged like i have so many times before. and for the first time in years i remembered a story he would always tell me when he was putting me to sleep.
. . . about during the war when he was staioned at pearl harbor and how he met my grandmother. they were married on base, and she didn't even have a wedding dress . . .
taking a turn at each grave i talked to grandpa sill and grandma kuenzi. i always feel awkward talking to grandpa kuenzi because he died years before i was born, but i always do it anyway.
afterwards while driving back to my parents' house i felt somewhat relieved.
talking to people who don't talk back - i couldn't ask for much more ;)
it was instinctual. all those days i drove 16.4 miles to his house to see him, when i realized where i was going i turned down a side road and ended up at the cemetary that three of my grandparents are buried. momentarily, i wished i had brought flowers, but it was comforting to be distracted from the place my body habitually drove to. parking my car i walked to my grandpa sill's grave and sat down crossed legged like i have so many times before. and for the first time in years i remembered a story he would always tell me when he was putting me to sleep.
. . . about during the war when he was staioned at pearl harbor and how he met my grandmother. they were married on base, and she didn't even have a wedding dress . . .
taking a turn at each grave i talked to grandpa sill and grandma kuenzi. i always feel awkward talking to grandpa kuenzi because he died years before i was born, but i always do it anyway.
afterwards while driving back to my parents' house i felt somewhat relieved.
talking to people who don't talk back - i couldn't ask for much more ;)