a lotta life

I was reading obituaries, people in Winnipeg that I knew growing up. So many details of actual lives more interesting than the one dimensional idea I had of them. Who knew all these grown ups were young and played drums or so and so was a fan of Lenny Breau when she went to college. And everyone dies, just a wave on the water believing being a wave meant something other than being water. When I was a kid, I thought it is just a matter of time and they’ll solve this death problem. We were often hearing all sorts of incredible things science had solved. I figured probably by the time I’m twenty, or at the latest twenty-five. When she first started telling me she doesn’t want to die I liked it because I remembered the feeling, I remember what grade I was in, same as her. I told her she’ll live a long long life and it is natural to live and die, everything lives and dies. I said you have lots of years to first live. You can relax. Not the answer she was looking for. One of the obits was for a guy who I thought very square and egocentric which may still have been accurate but his story had many interesting parts I never knew. He played in a big band and did stand up in New York. Guess it is all about when you meet someone. A lot of life can’t be understood unless you also already lived a lot of life.

1 Comment


  1. Obits are eye-openers. Or can be. It’s interesting how bereaved adult children will see their parents and grandparents as almost heroic, when those who view them from a little more distance know better; know things the kids never saw. “She was the love of his life” always cracks me up in obits. I consider; “That’s what YOU think.” So much romance-pretending. But I do love to read obits for the stories one doesn’t know about people.

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