Wednesday, September 30, 2009

uncle johnny.

My sweet Uncle Johnny passed away last night. He was 85. His wife, my Aunt Ruth, inspired in me a love of medicine...she was a nurse. I wanted to follow in her footsteps for most of my teen and early adult years.

My Uncle Johnny had a sweet disposition and jolly, rosy cheeks. His voice was raspy, the way you sometimes get after a bout of laryngitis, but his was that way all the time. I loved to hear Uncle Johnny talk.

When I was little, I used to go with my dad to work (my dad is a retired phone man) and I loved to go to Johnny's office. He had a big leather chair and a shiny, polished desk. But my favorite thing was his small-scale, leather-bound collection of Shakespeare.I loved the smell of the old leather covers, and the intricate gold tooling on the cover. And the crinkly sound the paper made when I turned one of the delicate pages. I was careful, because I knew these books were something special.

I read Romeo and Juliet curled up in that big leather chair in his office, and A Midsummer Nights Dream (my two favorites of the Bard's.) And others... I stumbled through the unfamiliar cadence and language at first, but eventually I found my rhythm. And fell in love.

Thank you Uncle Johnny, for the memories that will stay with me always, and for inadvertently introducing me to a great passion. Writing.

He who has gone,
so we but cherish his memory,
abides with us, more potent,
nay, more present
than the living man.
~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:59 PM

    You sound like you have very good memories of your uncle johnny. Take care of you while I'm sure you will step in and help take care of your aunt in this difficult time. g

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  2. Awwww! I'm so sorry for your loss, Angie. He sounded like a very special uncle. Hugs.

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  3. Such wonderful memories will last you a lifetime. I'm sorry for your loss.

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  4. What beautiful memories of an obviously lovely man. My condolences.

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  5. I am sorry for your grief. You will always hold those memories dear to you.

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  6. What a beautiful testimony of your love and relationship with your uncle. I'm so sorry for your loss Angie. He indeed had a great hand in helping form the gentle spirited woman that you are and his legacy is evident in your wordsmithing.
    With Love,
    Elise

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  7. I am so sorry about the loss of your Uncle Johnny. What a lovely tribute. How neat that he had all of those Shakespeare books!

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