*
The house is quiet.
It’s over now.
Dad moved to assisted living today,
even though it’s Mom’s birthday.
We took him to her grave
before we took him to his new “home.”
He touched her grave with furrowed brow
But, he didn’t cry.
Maybe too many tears past had left him dry.
Or, maybe it’s really over now.
Maybe it’s really time for a change.
It’s now his choice whether to live or die.
He will chose, whether to laugh or cry.
So, we took him “home”
and we left him alone.
Then, I returned to the house,
with family photos on the mantle and,
the ghost of his spouse.
But perhaps most poignant of all,
I found his old shoes.
They were still there,
in front of his chair,
ready to go
… anywhere.
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Dave,
I am cleaning out my mother’s home after placing her in an assisted living apartment. 96 years old and widowed for 25. I have run across many abandoned shoes and more. I enjoy your site but miss visiting with you in person, please do a better of job of keeping in touch than I do.
David, how very moving this was for me. Those shoes gave him life again. I could almost see his sad face and yet he managed a half-smile with a soft spoken voice. He just couldn’t find his place after he lost your mom. For all of his talents and shortcomings, he was my special older brother whom I so admired when he returned from the Merchant Marines after his ship was hit. Loved him then, love him now. Thanks for the memories
Talk about putting a lump in my throat…this hit very close to home, Dave. Your writing is quite impressive.
It’s beautiful, yet broke my heart. One of the saddest thingsI’ve seen.
Pam
That’s lovely and poignant, David.