Death is Visiting

Death has been hanging around this week. He’s sitting on the windowsill smoking a cigarette. Whenever I come in or out of the house he just nods and says, “Hey.” I know why he’s here.

A friend’s husband has died. Joe had Alzheimer’s for ten years. Finally, death…but still, death. Another friend of John’s—maybe two weeks to live or maybe four?  John hasn’t seen him in years so he drove to Worchester this morning to say hello, and “Good-bye” after all this time.

And death nods.

And yes, it’s Veteran’s Day. On NPR I hear a mother and father interviewed about the way that they learned of their son’s death, and their experience of going to Arlington this week to see his grave for the first time.

And tomorrow Annie will go to the Saratoga National Cemetery to bury Joe.

And death sees me coming and going and listening and dressing. He puts out his cigarette on the sill, and just nods.