This Reminds Me

Archive for October 5th, 2007

Julia continues to improve and our lives are drifting toward “normal” now.  We’re not there yet, and we won’t be for awhile.  But “normal” is looming.

I like normal.  I like calendars and lists and plans.  I like clear return address labels at the ready.  The normal – the routine – the expected – it’s all good.

Because I’m no longer anchored to a rocking chair comforting a whimpering child, I’ve had time to do a favor for a friend and write a series of short pseudo-blogs promoting Austin as the site of the February 2008 Telecom Pioneer Assembly.

I had to poke around online for topics and material.  Google is my friend, returning thousands of hits to Austin-related topics.  This a link, that a link, everywhere a link link….all very normal, routine and expected – until I popped this one: http://www.adapt.org/freeourpeople/aar/nga04/17sat/17report2.htm and read,
“Also moving, was spreading the ashes of two brethren that had passed away.”

That sentence took my breath away. Those were my brother’s ashes.  Judy and I had given them to the organization in which he was so active (ADAPT) at their request in 2004.  They asked to scatter them at a national ADAPT “action” where disabled people chain themselves to fences, charge police officers with their electric wheelchairs and the like.  As Judy replied to me when I forwarded the request, ” I find the whole idea TOTALLY APPALLING AND UTTERLY TASTELESS. Not to mention — Well, words truly fail me.  David would love it.”  So true, Judy, sooooo true.  And he would have loved the whole “native American tradition….spreading the ash mixed with tobacco” stuff, too.  The more chanting, drama and pagentry, the better.

David and me 30 years ago this month.  Judy must have taken this picture because Mom always cut off our heads.

So in the midst of the normal – the routine – the expected – a very unexpected jolt.   Like a phone call in the middle of the night.  Or spotting a celebrity in Target.

I’d never seen this web page before nor knew any specifics about the event, so naturally I bookmarked it – like I normally do for something to which I plan to return.  Because even with a few bumps and jolts – I do like to - want to – plan to – return to normal.