The Death Chronicles Diane’s sister, Patti, was diagnosed with breast cancer at 42 and died at 50. Her illness nearly destroyed Diane, and it carved up our marriage. We worked in tandem to do our part to care for Patti, from her first treatment through her remission and on until she died, a shriveled version […]
Matt, I’ve got something to show you. This is a warning from Costco. Let me read it. Fresh Food Concepts is recalling Roja’s Layer Dip because the guacamole might have Listeria Monocytogenes. Listeria is the leading cause of death from food-related bacteria. How stupid is it to send a letter? By the time you read […]
To anyone who has ever asked me if they kept me up, to all of Matt and Hilary and Hannah’s friends, pretty much to anyone under the age of twenty-seven. Many of you knew Matt’s mom, my wife, Diane, and some did not. Diane and I grew up together. I consider my life before Diane […]
Ken Langer teaches music theory, lives in Maynard with his wife and daughter, and has written eighteen books on paganism. I met him at Sweet Bites, our local coffee shop. Ken usually stops between dropping his daughter off at daycare and driving to work. He typically sits alone with his laptop and his latest inspiration. […]
John didn’t wait for me this morning to ring his door bell. He strode right up to my car. “Did you hear the helicopter? It flew over these fields this morning for almost two hours. They started at Pete’s house and covered he same territory we did. I thought you had something to do with […]
The water tower from Pete’s neighborhood.
James and I walked for five hours yesterday. We prowled the neighborhood’s open fields, following paths Pete would walk, veering from those paths to scour drainage ditches many of which are now full of tumbleweeds. Today, we’ll do more of the same though my legs may protest and drive themselves to the airport. James, with […]
Do you want to walk a step or two in Ken’s shoes? Meet him, read his books, Â and then meet Pete’s friend, John. Buy John coffee and chat with him as long as it takes for him to smile. Listen to his stories about living in Las Vegas before the corporations moved in, his part […]
I’ve become quite fond of the water tower area. I know the terrain, I know approximately where I’ve looked, I know where the cairns are, and I know it’s safe. I could stray for miles but because the land rises the water tower and the town below are always in view.Today, John (above)introduced me […]
What we think we know. Peter wasn’t feeling well and his journal entry indicated a hope to walk to the water tower. John, who managed Pete’s rental properties, Â saw him shortly before his last walk and said he looked fine. Pete was his boss but also his friend, not his best friend, that’d be Smoky […]