By Gerald Kamens
Sunday, my 88-year-old father-in-law seemed at death’s door. At the nursing home, Curtis fell in and out of consciousness. Susan, my wife and a nurse, spoke later of last-stage physical movements, and time to say good-byes.
By Thursday, Curtis appeared more his old self. This had happened before. To my surprise, he agreed to a ride. Without his wife and daughter. Just us men. With difficulty, I got him into the car. We traveled down the wooded roads for fifteen minutes.
When I asked him afterwards what the best part of the drive was, he whispered to my wife, “the driver.”
Good story and observation of the staying power of seniors.
Excellent in every respect!
Such a concentrated depiction of a great family. That last ride seemed symbolic but his punchline said he had more love to give.
Poignant, beautiful story.
Thanks for this. I appreciate the sense of mortality in all three of these stories. Since my son’s wedding in May in Santa Fe I came home for the first time for the sense of my own mortality. Good work