Strange Complaints

Last week my aunt Linda's husband, Wilbert, passed away. It had been over sixteen years since I'd seen him, and it still wobbled my worldview a bit. My godmother has had to deal with enough loss in her life that I'd thought she'd maybe get a longer stretch of peace and serenity but that wasn't to be.

Before losing Wilbert she's lost her mother at four years old, her youngest daughter, her husband, her big brother (my dad), her father, her sister-in-law (my mom), her remaining daughter and now her husband. Those are just the ones I'm remembering as I write this as I'm sure she'd have other names to add like cousins and aunts, etc.

Linda knows more about our family history and the web of relatives more than I ever will, as she's learned how precious each strand is and how quick they are to break.

Her first husband, uncle Caffery, was seemingly built out of laughter and good cheer. When their daughter Kimberly died in an accident at the age of eleven, it only took a month for him to follow her.

When my own father passed in 2002 my grandfather followed just like Caffrey did, as he was buried exactly one month after my dad.

Sorry, didn't mean to get sidetracked. I was going to say that when uncle Caffery passed it seemed like the rest of our family dimmed a bit in his light's absence. That's why, eventually, when she met Wilbert it seemed as if a ray of light had entered the room again.

Uncle Caffery had been like a true brother to my dad and that same connection was there when dad met Wilbert and realized how much happiness and love he brought back into my aunt Linda's life.

Dad loved him immediately, especially as he loved to get a bit convivial during the holidays over a few glasses of Crown Royal.

God, if I close my eyes I can hear the laughter ringing out in my grandfather's small apartment as dad, Wilbert, Papaw Louis, uncle Howard (dad's younger brother) and their wives.. all drank and told stories and shared food as we kids played..

That's the sound I picture when I think of Wilbert, now that he's gone. Now that most of them are gone.. laughter and love in both English and Cajun french.

To Linda, sadly, Wilbert had been slowly leaving for years as he had dementia and was living in a care facility towards the end. He was still his happy and loving self.. but he just wasn't himself anymore.

Anyways, I'm not sure why I wanted to write this except to maybe shout out into the world how much I miss Wilbert and everyone whose left us way too soon.. and especially to my godmother, aunt Linda.

She's had a rough life filled with heartache but she's made our lives brighter as she's refused to let sorrow be stronger than love.

I love you Nanny. Always.

T-Mike