My elderly neighbor across the street is the heart of the neighborhood. He is a funny guy who always has a friendly greeting for me as we make our trips to the mailbox and has a million stories to tell me about his adventures through life.
But, I have all kinds of stories about him as well and was telling his son some of them the other day. Like the time he ran over my mailbox and came very sheepishly with a new one and was shocked when I told him to just give me money for more cement to restore the bunker I currently have…
Or the annual ritual of his inviting us over to get our fill of tangerines from the tree he has in his backyard. It is a simple event but always fun because he takes such pleasure in using a tool that allows him to reach up and grab tangerines from the very top of the tree.
His son laughed and laughed as I gave him a side of his father that he did not know. I mention all of this because my neighbor may not remember these events. His son told me he has Alzheimer and is only able to visit his house periodically now.
I thanked his son for telling me and told him on his father’s long journey into night he should always remember that no one ever dies as long as they live on in the memory of others, and though his father might not remember… I would remember for the both of us!
I went back to your previous post..omg.. when I saw the word Cairn I thought of the breed of dog.. We actually had a Cairn- what my husband use to call our Toto dog..(Wizard of Oz)…thank u for the second meaning of that word..btw, i first laughed at your fixing of that poor mailbox but thought it was quite inventive of the plant u added at the top.. way to go lady…
As far as the neighbor- memories are something aren't they? When it comes down to it, what a life we all lead when we or others look back on what we have said or done..
Chrissy,
The post on the Cairn was suppose to get a laugh because it shows the strange way my mind works at times. However, this post on my neighbor is a celebration of all the things I associate with him and the mailbox/cairn was one of them. I read an article in the NY Times about the number of baby boomers taking care of elderly parent with Alzheimer, never thinking that the wonderful man next door would become one of them. He is forever set in my mind with that mailbox, and like I said I will remember for the both of us.
Our aptitude to remember (memory) is probably the most essential characteristic which distinguishes man from the animal. Losing this ability to remember, as is the case with your neighbor, certainly leaves one without any bearings in life. And there are no stars to brighten this sort of "night"…
But, as you so justly pointed out :
"Aimer quelqu'un, c'est dire : toi, tu ne mourras pas" !
JLBO,
"There are no stars to brighten that night…"
Well said my friend, very well said!