Across from my balcony is one of those thirty-six unit courtyard apartment buildings. Chicagoland is full of them.. mostly built in the 1910’s and 1920’s.
In the garden apartment lives an older couple whose son in law is an acquaintance of mine. Both of them are always walking and sometimes they pull their lawn chairs out on the grass in front of the building.
They always wave if they see me up on the balcony or walking up the block.
Last night I ran into my acquaintance and as we made small talk, he told me his father-in-law passed away recently. I suddenly felt sad, but also pissed at myself that I didn’t notice his absence. I saw his wife walking by this week. She smiled and waved while I was having a cocktail with my mother-in-law.
I think I was sad because I won’t see a friendly person on a regular basis. I enjoyed seeing an older couple hold hands, carry groceries and playing with their grandchildren.
I will never get used to how life gives us people and then takes them away unannounced.
Time to go wake up George and drive down the dreaded I-65. First thing I can’t wait to show him is the 222 mile marker where his Gramma always gave me a kiss or squeezed my hand and told me she loved me.
We must have driven by there a hundred times when I was young.
… how I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash…
