Past 10pm.
Yes, it is my birthday today. I am... sigh, 53 years old.
I never imagined I would get this old. I didn't have a death wish or anything. It just seemed like an impossible number when I was a teenager. Anybody who was 40 was old. Someone 40 is like a kid to me, now. It's all relative.
I did decide to attend Les Muise's funeral. Work was piling up, but I thought it could all wait, and it did. The one client who was sort of on my case because I hadn't given him split-second service apologized to me when I told him I had been at a funeral.
Anyway, Les' funeral was nice. Understated, and a little bland for my tastes. The funerals I "like" the most are the ones where family members and friends stand up and talk about the deceased, warts and all. Today, the priest just told a few anecdotes gleaned from the obituary and maybe scribbled on a napkin before the funeral started.
I did learn a bit more about his death. Apparently he was out getting groceries with his mother last week, when he suddenly collapsed. He was like gone before he hit the ground. Just. Like. That. On the one hand it meant he did not suffer. On the other hand, his family had no time to prepare, and it would have been a massive shock to them all. I don't know which way is the best to go. I don't know which one I would choose for myself. Maybe a combination, if that is possible.
I had a couple finger sandwiches and treats at the reception, introduced myself to Les' daughter, signed the guest book, and left. I dipped into Fairview to the "Best Choice Chinese Food" place, because I had not eaten there in some time and didn't want to go back to work on a relatively empty stomach. Pulled into their parking lot about 11:50 and learned that they do not open until noon. I left, and returned to work, and got caught up on the things I had missed while I was gone.
Patricia had her Pilates class after work, so I hung around my work until 6:20 or so before picking her up. We got some food at the Young Street Superstore. I recognized my former neighbour, former Global TV's sportscaster Stacey Jones, and she remembered me. Wished me a happy birthday. That was nice, too. I miss having her as a neighbour. It was neat having an actual tv celebrity just up the street. Jamie Bradley lived at the other end of the street when I first moved here, by the way. Remember him from Street Cents and local Improv groups?
We didn't really do much for my birthday, today. That will happen over the weekend. We will be going to a roast beef dinner at a local church, and then to a movie. I wanna go to Otis & Clementine's, the bookstore in Tantallon, so I can spend the gift card Patricia got me for Christmas.
A birthday is a funny event. I am older now. My parents are gone. I have nothing to do with my sisters. Or, maybe, they have nothing to do with me. We have nothing to do with each other. Yeah, let's go with that. While that bothers me a bit, it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. It feels nice not to have to grit my teeth and tolerate them for all the years I had to when Mom and Dad were alive to rein me in. Life could be better. It could be worse. Middlings.
I think I will turn in. Another record breaking birthday draws to a close.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
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