The visit passed swiftly with the usual jumble of laughter, old jokes, and a hint of sadness that the family one of us had was there and the other three already passed to the ages. There was important stuff that was necessary. One long medical adventure seemed to lurch forward from convalescence to something closer to normal behavior. The grab-bars installed in the shower will be a start on that, part of lurching from appliance-assisted locomotion to something resembling self sufficiency.

Aside from Brother Mike, Grace shouldered the hard work of lining up suitable inflatable mattresses and bedding, and a delightful time was had as we watched the siblings re-enact the follies of their youth, memories of so much now consigned to the delicate jumbled pile of memory.

The visit now past, Grace ensured fruits, nuts, cheese and bread accompanied the brother for a return to his home by a progression of trains that may execute precision transfers in stations along the line Northeast from Your Nation’s Capital.

Grace had completed work on The Wall project. It was her way of getting stacks of relics from under the bed and posting them in general order on the Headquarters wall. All of that family is there, in various manifestations of their lives. They were good people, from what we understand.

There was laughter an the occasional rueful smile around the circle listening to the brother enjoy their reunion. Now, the debris from the visit will be packed away as the train rolls north on the tracks, the brothers separated by the steel on the rails. But they were the better for recreating the memories of eight decades.
And with luck, the rest of this one in peace!
.

Copyright 2024 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com