bugscufle
03-03-2008, 08:50 AM
Regis grew up in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and joined the Air Force when he got out of high school. Regis got stationed in Texas. There he met a girl a couple years younger named Sharon. Sharon thought this tall, skinny Yankee with curly hair and sparkly blue eyes in a blue Air Force uniform was the biggest dream boat she had ever seen. Likewise, Sharon had some attributes that caught Regis' attention.
Sharon was living with her folks and not long after they met, Sharon invited Regis over for dinner. Sharon's mom, wanting to help her daughter with her daughter heart's desire, made a terrific chicken fried steak, mashed potatos and cream gravy, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, fried okra, black eye peas, corn bread, brewed ice tea, and homemade ice with spiced peach preserves.
Regis spent the meal pushing his food around as politely as he could. Sharon's mother was concerned and asked Regis if something was wrong. Regis apologized replying that he had never eaten this kind of food before and he had not grown up experimenting with non-sanctioned foods. Sharon's mom, being a proper hostess, asked Regis if he would like something else. So while the family finished their traditional meal, Regis dined on weiners and hot dog buns.
Certainly Sharon's parents had some serious doubts about this relationship but they realized that Sharon's eyes were not listening to a word they said.
They fell in love and were never able to climb out. Regis and Sharon enjoyed the free love of the Sixties from the unique perspective of being married to each other. The Air Force let the twosome enjoy the world. Regis learned to enjoy new foods. They both learned to speak German. A daughter made their life even more fun.
Regis and Sharon were one of those rare couples who seemed to be joined at the hip. Both working on some kind of project was about the funnest thing there was. Absent a project,Regis always had cars and was always working on them. A unique thing about Regis and Sharon's house is that the way it was situated, they could talk to each other while Sharon was in the kitchen, the utility room or the master bedroom and Regis was puttering around the garage. If they weren't making eye contact, they wanted to be within voice contact.
Even after they had been married for 40 years, Regis would go home on a thirty minute lunch break just to spend fifteen minutes with Sharon. It just doesn't get any more awesome than that.
Regis lost Sharon suddenly and unexpectedly a couple of years ago. Ever since it has been hard for Regis to find the old music on life's radio dial, that used to be everywhere.
Regis stayed connected to his in-laws, perhaps in part to keep what was past, in the present. Several weeks ago, Regis' father-in-law passed away. Tonight, I received an e-mail from Regis informing me that his mother-in-law had died today. Regis surmised that, "the strain was more than she could handle and lost her will to live."
Words are so inadequate at times like these. I wrote Regis back that I was very sorry for him and very sorry for his daughter.
Nearly everyone aspires for the gift of long life. But whoever receives this gift must let go the most.
Regis later replied thanking me for the condolences and commenting, "Times I think we (the living) are just like pieces of sand that have been tucked into an hourglass. You never know when you'll fall through. Stay there too long (as we age), the odds increase that you'll wind up on the bottom half."
The following is my response, "Your assumption is that the bottom half of the hour glass is bad. Maybe so, I don't know. But it is the same sand and it is the same hour glass. It would seem what we fear is the falling. One other thing about your theory--science would tell us that all the sand falling through the top hour glass should have once been in the bottom."
Safe landings.
Sharon was living with her folks and not long after they met, Sharon invited Regis over for dinner. Sharon's mom, wanting to help her daughter with her daughter heart's desire, made a terrific chicken fried steak, mashed potatos and cream gravy, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, fried okra, black eye peas, corn bread, brewed ice tea, and homemade ice with spiced peach preserves.
Regis spent the meal pushing his food around as politely as he could. Sharon's mother was concerned and asked Regis if something was wrong. Regis apologized replying that he had never eaten this kind of food before and he had not grown up experimenting with non-sanctioned foods. Sharon's mom, being a proper hostess, asked Regis if he would like something else. So while the family finished their traditional meal, Regis dined on weiners and hot dog buns.
Certainly Sharon's parents had some serious doubts about this relationship but they realized that Sharon's eyes were not listening to a word they said.
They fell in love and were never able to climb out. Regis and Sharon enjoyed the free love of the Sixties from the unique perspective of being married to each other. The Air Force let the twosome enjoy the world. Regis learned to enjoy new foods. They both learned to speak German. A daughter made their life even more fun.
Regis and Sharon were one of those rare couples who seemed to be joined at the hip. Both working on some kind of project was about the funnest thing there was. Absent a project,Regis always had cars and was always working on them. A unique thing about Regis and Sharon's house is that the way it was situated, they could talk to each other while Sharon was in the kitchen, the utility room or the master bedroom and Regis was puttering around the garage. If they weren't making eye contact, they wanted to be within voice contact.
Even after they had been married for 40 years, Regis would go home on a thirty minute lunch break just to spend fifteen minutes with Sharon. It just doesn't get any more awesome than that.
Regis lost Sharon suddenly and unexpectedly a couple of years ago. Ever since it has been hard for Regis to find the old music on life's radio dial, that used to be everywhere.
Regis stayed connected to his in-laws, perhaps in part to keep what was past, in the present. Several weeks ago, Regis' father-in-law passed away. Tonight, I received an e-mail from Regis informing me that his mother-in-law had died today. Regis surmised that, "the strain was more than she could handle and lost her will to live."
Words are so inadequate at times like these. I wrote Regis back that I was very sorry for him and very sorry for his daughter.
Nearly everyone aspires for the gift of long life. But whoever receives this gift must let go the most.
Regis later replied thanking me for the condolences and commenting, "Times I think we (the living) are just like pieces of sand that have been tucked into an hourglass. You never know when you'll fall through. Stay there too long (as we age), the odds increase that you'll wind up on the bottom half."
The following is my response, "Your assumption is that the bottom half of the hour glass is bad. Maybe so, I don't know. But it is the same sand and it is the same hour glass. It would seem what we fear is the falling. One other thing about your theory--science would tell us that all the sand falling through the top hour glass should have once been in the bottom."
Safe landings.