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!)
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!)
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.
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!)
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)
6 comments:
Little math error in my calculation there.
11 - 7 = 4
So, that title should read "four months...", not "six...".
I think I was counting from May, when he died.
In fact, it's just now November 8th, marking 18 months since his death.
At least I did that math correctly.
I’m glad for it too❤️ now I remember him telling me about his brother ? Tony? Years ago what had happened n where he was and I thought it was getting close to his ? Parole?
What I’m trying to say is he had really missed him and loved his brother all this time and it was sad that he couldn’t make it there.
Well I could go on n on about him n all the memories I have …me n Randy was on the phone for quite awhile last night.
I still wear the ring he gave me, sterling silver cross on it… Ronnie was always finding n giving me trinkets which I loved 💯 he was very giving ❤️
Never had I ever scattered someone's ashes.
None of us there on Sunday had.
Mama was cremated, as was Daddy, stepdad Frank, stepbrother George, and niece Jean Marie.
The ashes for all of them, except Daddy, were buried in their urns out at Greenwich Cemetery.
Daddy's ashes, in an urn, are with my stepmom, Bonnie, in Alabama.
Thank you so much for the great share you sent to me. I am sorry for the sad information. We have all had losses and sadness but still can be greatful for all our blessings.I wish things had been different for our relationships but at least I got to enjoy my brother in our later time of dancing together. Hope this fines you well, I am really blessed with my health for a 84 year old, still taking in sewing and enjoying good health. Love,Aunt Barbara
I had just put in a new ink cartridge before I began printing the 4-page mementos for those of us present.
Then, I printed several more copies for those who expressed an interest and mailed those off.
So, that's four copies for those present, then 15 more copies mailed off (Tony & Laura; Jeff & Amy; Jean & John Hester; Susan Morgan; Donna Howard; Randy Newton; Emil Kuelling; Sharon Dubose; Aunt Linda Walker; Aunt Barbara Narcarti; Penny & Steve Bos; Bobby & Alicia Walker; Bonnie Smith; Terri & Hobie Tatum; Hokie Davis), and a copy for me.
So, 20 copies of four pages that were heavy with graphics, so lots of black ink used (the color cartridges have been out of ink for years).
I had made a few mistakes along the way with the printing, so let's call it another 6 copies to cover those errors.
Then, the next time I needed to print something, the ink was too low.
I had used up an entire cartridge on these prints, over the course of three days.
Wow.
That had surprised me.
I happened upon this post while looking for another.
As I read, I got to the part about the message from John of Arcadia.
He said, "I truly hope that Ronnie is at peace and you and your family can reflect on his time with you and this world in a meaningful way.
You described him as a man who lived life on his own terms. I think we can admire the spirit of his determination."
https://hindsightvisionfromtheocean.blogspot.com/2021/05/more-apt-than-not.html
I think we did exactly that: reflected on his time with us and this world in a meaningful way.
I sure miss that boy.
So did Mary at Thanksgiving.
She was helping folks fix to-go plates and said, "I was about to start one to be dropped off to Ronnie, but I don't need to do that any more."
I think she missed doing that kind gesture for him.
I totally get it.
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