6 months after his 60th

That was purely coincidental.

When I contacted my remaining two brothers early Friday afternoon, that bit about November 6 being six months from July 6 had not even occurred to me.

All I was thinking was that Ronnie had been cooped up in the box from Families First for almost eighteen months.

That's too long for his free spirit.

What I knew was that November 6 was the date set for the twins' delayed birthday party.

That meant Ronnie's daughter and son were going to be in Savannah with their kids.

That meant a trip to scatter their dad's ashes would not require extra scheduling on their part, nor extra time and gas expense from Hinesville and Guyton.

I mentioned the plan to Christina on Thursday evening, then called Michael about it on Friday and contacted Smitty and Tony.

Done.

Tony wasn't able to make it, but the rest of us were at Greenwich Cemetery at 2:30 PM.

We met at the picnic table on the far side, by the bluff.

I was the first one, so I walked along the bank, looking for a likely spot.

Once we were all there, I told them I could just picture Ronnie fishing along this bluff...

and that's when Smitty remembered that he and Ronnie used to do that very thing, back in the late 1980's, when Smitty lived on Bonaventure Road.

We even managed to find the remains of the old pier where they fished!

Right place, right time!

i thank You, God.

 

I had prepared four pages of photographs and memories, along with text from a 2018 post as well as his obituary from last year, and had copies for all five us adults.

Then, as Ronnie would have wanted, we told jokes.

(smile!)

I started things with my Batman and Robin joke that I've told for years.

No one laughed and the two 8-year-olds rolled their eyes at me.

That's okay... I laughed!

Then Smitty told one that Ronnie had told him about Mexicans and cue balls - a standard non-PC variety, of course!

Michael shared two jokes!

One was the "fish with no eye" one that Tom Hanks told in a movie.

The other was about the reason you couldn't put four chickens in a coop... because then it would be a chicken sedan!

(smile!)

Mood lightened, it was time to set Ronnie's ashes as free as his spirit.

I had brought my red metal Red Cross mug to make for easier handling, as the 10.0 pound bin of metals from bones, teeth, red blood cells, and other sources in the body was rather unwieldy and difficult to handle.

Smitty went first, going close to the bluff's edge and giving several tosses of the nearly full cup.

He even managed to get some to splash into the river, as well as a plume of smoke into the air.

Then Michael took his turn, following the style Smitty used.

Next up was Christina, trying not to venture too close to the river's edge.

I went last in that first round.

Mary didn't want to throw, so then we took turns again.

Michael's second toss of ashes resulted in a wonderful ghost image in the light breeze.

I'm fairly certain I see a face in that gray spray!

Then Leila wanted to take a turn... and did pretty well.

I was so touched that she wanted to participate!

(smile!)

 

Alyssa and Chloe didn't take a turn, but that was fine.

I had not expected any of the children to be interested in that.

Smitty finished off the remainder in the bin, then Michael took the bin, the plastic bag, and the cup with him.

We visited for a brief few moments, then took our leave of each other, with hugs all around.

It was almost 4 PM.

(smile!)

They all headed to their respective homes, but not I.

That photo in Ronnie's obit of him dining on his favorite meal on his 52nd birthday urged me to go elsewhere.

Specifically, I was urged to go to Carey Hilliard's.

Oh, but not that one on Skidaway... to the one farther off, on Waters.

So, that's were I went, getting seated promptly and placing my order right away.

Then, I waited... and waited... and waited.

After 35 minutes had passed, with no sign of food or the waitress, I went to the front counter.

They didn't even have an order in for me!

The manager apologized, placed the order to the kitchen himself, and I had food not even five minutes later, hot and fresh and exactly right.

Yes, and I believe that Tail-On Fried Shrimp Platter even had a few extras on board, as I counted 15 shrimp.

Very nice!

After a leisurely meal, enjoying every bite, I returned to the front counter to pay.

That's when a waitress asked if there was anything she could do for me.

I replied, "Well, it would have been nice if you had brought my food instead of having me wait 35 minutes for it."

Oops! It had not been her, as she had been working the drive-in area.

But the manager recognized who it had been: "Melissa, the runaway waitress".

Then he thanked me for my patronage and told me the meal was on the house.

I had a free dinner... which happened to be my middle brother's favorite meal... because the waitress had chosen that night to disappear... from the restaurant where I had not initially intended to dine...

right place, right time.

Thank you, Ronnie.

Enjoy fishing with Grandpa.

(smile)