I remember all those years when Dad was ailing with his colon cancer, and you rarely left his side. Each day you bathed him, shaved his face, combed his hair, dressed him, and made sure he had money in his wallet, as if you were both going out for the day, even though it was only for a short trip from his bed to the living-room where he could watch his favorite television programs. You would read the sports pages to him, show your enthusiasm for your favorite baseball teams, and in general, relish each day you shared together.
I would watch Dad watching you. I could tell he never tired of laughing at your jokes and simply enjoyed being in your presence. Those late night conversations, reminiscing about the past, planning for the future, were probably the most intimate any two people can have together. When Dad passed, peacefully, all our prayers were answered; he didn't suffer, and you showed your amazing courage by remaining ever strong and accepting of life's rhythms.
Remember each Halloween when you would dress up in whatever costume, and Dad would drive you around to all the friends' and neighbors' houses? The two of you sure did make a good team. Also, I've never met another man who liked to go shopping the way Dad did, nor is it easy to believe how much he always encouraged you to buy whatever appealed to you. As a teen I used to think the two of you were weird, but as I matured, I came to appreciate the special uniqueness of your relationship.
The evening of your 50th Wedding Anniversary, after I had finished cleaning up the kitchen and thought everyone was asleep, I was going around the house and turning out the lights. There you two were, sitting in the living room, Dad in his wheelchair and you on his lap, your arms around each other, as you both looked through your anniversary gift album surrounded by darkness, except for one little lamp. That picture is etched forever, in my mind.
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