Memorial Day has rather special meaning for me. My sister got married this weekend in 1990. I didn't quite know it at the time but my first marriage was breaking apart. In 1999, I had my last alcoholic beverage, May 31. I say it that way because I inadvertently ate a piece of liqueur candy in 2008 in Denmark, took a swig of an alcoholic beverage in Malta in 2017 that was labeled like a fruit drink, and intentionally, on the two year anniversary of my dad's death (February 19) took a sip of Cal's fancy drink, and a sip of Pat's Old Fashioned. It was a stand-in for my dad's favored Manhattan. I have to say, whatever Cal had was delicious but the Old Fashioned was terrible. I never liked the taste of whiskey. But I digress.
In 2013 I visited Adam in Springfield, after having breakfast with a friend. I know this because Facebook reminded me. My own memories are that we were planning to have a cook-out at Adam's apartment and he was going to introduce me to some friends. We were going to go shopping together for all the fixings. As it turned out a big storm came through Springfield, knocking down trees and soaking everything so we went out to dinner at the Chesapeake instead. Just the two of us. Less than 3 years later, he was gone. Now I visit him at Oakwood Cemetery.
May 27, 2013 was special because Adam was opening to the idea of sharing the world he built in Springfield with me. I eventually ended up meeting his friends through the Out of the Darkness Walks in Springfield.
Memorial Day weekend would be a time for family gatherings, the Vicks, the Deneckes, whomever could make it. It still is, with one big piece missing. There's some melancholy today, obviously, but I go on.
1 comment:
It was always special when Adam was around if I happened to be visiting. He was sooooooooooo cute at my wedding, if you recall. Dancing around with his long, blonde hair in his eyes. He was the best!
Post a Comment