Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Vigil continues

The line at the post office was ridiculous today. I gave up and went to the park.

My timing for everything has been off lately. As in the "What's today?" kind of off.  Comes from working weekends and late nights at the change of seasons, I think.

Writing has come to a full stop. A necessary one, although stories still spin in my head. After a day with Charlie yesterday I needed A. a serious nap, ill-advised at 6pm, but it was that or just go to bed for the night, and B., to do something different that did not involve writing, editing, reading or second-guessing my existence.

I chose stitch, and this piece has been hanging on the design wall, dusty and bothering me in its unfinished state. It was started back when Jimmy was first diagnosed and I clung to it like a life raft some days. It was also connected with "Band of Brothers" on Netflix which we were watching together at the time so I put that on TV last night because I recalled that I liked the music.

The first episode was about soldiers training to become paratroopers and I remember Jim chuckling and saying how little had changed about that aspect of the service. When he was awarded his jump wings, they were pounded to his chest, the prongs deliberately drawing blood.

Jim was proud of his army service and I think he would be pretty pissed off over the state of our leadership. Like many, he would mist up at the national anthem, but I believe he would also be okay with taking a knee. That it's not about a damn song or a piece of cloth, but human decency. He was nobody's fool and would call bullshit out loud no matter who was leaking it. He was a good and decent person before all else. Shit, I miss him.

4 comments:

Joanne S said...

With tears in my eyes--I send you a heartfelt hug.

Ms. said...

Stopping in kinda late 'cause of my own 'what day is it' mode of late...but golly I sure understand 'missing' such a fellow.Relationships of that depth have deep roots.

u-woman said...

I'm feeling with you and send you strength - and a hug.

Morna Crites-Moore said...

High respect for those who love this country AND respect Kaepernick's peaceful protest. Your Jim sounds like a very good guy ... based not just on this post but on many you have written about him. Band of Brothers - what an awesome series!