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| A postcard to my dad from his Grandpa Dickson |
Have you adjusted to the time change yet? Do you try to segue into the change by splitting the difference, such as eating when the clock says 7:00 instead of 6:00? Is your little one still getting up an hour early? Does the dog understand the necessity of waiting another hour for his/her constitutional? One thing didn’t change with us, though. We happily go to bed when the clock says 9:30.
Mike called a member of the Gilbert Cemetery board to arrange for burial of Milo’s ashes on Saturday, May 25 (Memorial Day Weekend). We’re relieved to learn that the grave will be prepared for us. Our family scarcely has anyone with a back capable of digging a hole!
The last time I saw Milo was Christmas 2021. He took the bus from Boise to our valley home. As we drove him to the bus for the return to Boise, he realized he had inadvertently left his ticket at the house. We didn’t have time to go back for it, and he said they would be able to print it out for him at the convenience store where the bus stops.
We said our good-byes. Milo went into the store to get his ticket, and Mike and I went back to the car, but I just couldn’t leave. I walked back to the store, meeting Milo as he came out with his ticket.
“What,” he asked, surprised to see me. “Oh, you didn’t trust it.” Then he wrapped me in a memorable bear hug.
There will be lots of other satisfying hugs – just not from Milo.
I’m
sorry that I wasn’t more visible in Milo’s life. His week revolved around his
work schedule, and he devoted his weekends to his son Mason. Understandably, he
opted to spend the next holiday season in Boise with Mason. I didn’t see him
again, but on one of their motorcycle trips, Mike and Clint stopped and had
breakfast with Milo and Mason.
“Sometimes it just washes over me that I should have done more to help Milo,” I said to Mike.
“Tell me about it,” he replies. Some have said that it probably wouldn’t have done any good anyway, but if we had complained – written, called, messaged, and documented all contacts – at least it would have served as notice of concern for his welfare.
The worst of it is that this terrible wrong can never be righted. KW
[The photo is of Mason, Milo, and Clint.]
2 comments:
Hind sight, as they say is twenty-twenty. We just don't know that decisions that seem reasonable and timely may not look that way in retrospect. We do the best we can and I'm certain that Milo knew he was loved.
Thanks, Chris. Mike always says, "We did what we thought was right at the time." We can't live anyone else's life for them, but I want to encourage people with a family member in the system to be visible in their support.
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