We Buried Our Father Today
I’m tired and I’m not sure how best to tell the rest of this story, so I’ll do what I always do when something feels too big. I’ll chop it into small pieces.
I’m happy Diane and Peter were part of this, and I wish Brian had been too. It still feels right that we brought Mack back to his roots, to the hardscrabble area in which he grew up. And it felt right that the only other people present were the grave digger and the man hired to provide the concrete box and lower Mack into the ground.
Leaving the Best Western in El Dorado.
Arriving for our meeting with Lionell at Carlson’s in Eldorado.
Lionell and Mack’s temporary grave marker.
Near Latham, Kansas.
Next: What happens when the grave is too small.
To those whose email’s are bouncing back please use michael at vanishingreality.com (at used here instead of @ to thwart the spam bots)
mike, i guess i might as well be the first to comment on this. I have nothing great to say, im just a kid who is up too late. As a kid who is up too late, i do get to alot of thinking. I think that i would want someone to do the same for me as you have done for your father and im glad you are my friend.
Comment by Joe — February 9, 2007 @ 3:54 am
That’s a mighty loaded “Next”, there, Mikey … Seems almost inappropriate to say, but I’m looking forward to the other shoe dropping. And I take it Mack was without living relatives in Latham … ?
That’s also a mighty fine “nothing great”, Joe. Rather, entirely great. To which I can but add, “Amen, brother.”
Comment by adam — February 9, 2007 @ 6:41 am
I’ll echo Adam, Joe, and I’ll also say thanks, I needed that. I may tell a confident story, but peer inside and you’ll find a son not so sure of himself.
Comment by michael — February 9, 2007 @ 9:53 am
Surest thing you coulda done for Mack, and for yourself and Peter, Michael.
I second Joe’s comment and rebouble Adam’s “Amen, brother”.
Comment by smiling Dan — February 9, 2007 @ 10:26 am
Hear, hear. (Really sweetly said, Joe.)
But I can’t resist: Regarding “I’ll do what I always do when something feels too big. I’ll chop it into small pieces.” Michael, I’m glad no one in your circle of acquaintances (and family, and friends) has ever felt too big.
Comment by Jennifer — February 9, 2007 @ 8:52 pm
I’ve been thinking … I really don’t believe that Mack cares one way or another where/whether he’s buried. But it matters to all of us. I think it is totally “right” that you took this journey and shared it with us on the blog. I don’t think there would have been much point (for Mack’s relatives) in you shipping the casket to Latham, but to drive there and deal with (and share) that particular set of complexities … well, it just was the right thing. I’m proud to know a family who would do that for their father/father-in-law/grandfather, themselves, and especially each other.
Comment by Jennifer — February 11, 2007 @ 2:20 pm