"Are You Still Alive?"

I was watching a science show the other night o public television when I got a call from my daughter, Shell, who seemed a bit more emotional then her usual self. Often times when she calls Shelly is exhausted, managing the girls or riding home from work but never teary—today she was. So I paused the show, I am watched and practiced my best 'active listening'. Being an evening call there was a high probability of bad news and of course it was bad news. Her step mother—or her step-step mother since the person question, Carolee is married to Shelly's step-father ( who by the way is no longer married to Shelly's mother) so what he, Don, is I am not quiet sure but my old adage, “if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it's probably a duck. Don was a pretty good step dad to my kids during his time in that position—but this post is not about Don, very much. What had happened is that Don had called my Michelle to report that Carolee had been hit with a pretty massive stroke, dropping her like a rock and was now on life support at a Utah County hospital. I could sense that Michelle was having a difficult time with the news, news which was grim,very grim. Carolee was probably not going to make it. Michelle shared with me that both of the boys were taking the news pretty hard and las night I spoke with Mark A, who was doing OK but seemed to be impacted pretty hard too. Not to make light of a very sensitive subject but this was the step-mother—I could see if this was Don, because Don is a highly special person, hard to dislike, I know I have tried—Don is a good guy—this guy has earned his striped and family worship if that I what it I but Carolee was a bit of a new comer.

Michelle was calling to “tag up”, something very bad had happened to someone she knows personally, what ever happens is going to impact her personally. The only other bouts she has experienced with the Grim Reaper has been with “ancients” My Dad, or her Uncle whop lost a battle with cancer a couple of years ago but this death was expected, she had time to prep for this uncle's death. But this accident was out of t”he blue” no time to pu you “fingers in front of your eyes” to help diffuse the terror such an event can illicit. Wham, right between the eyes, sucker punch!! Michelle was suddenly faced with the reality if something like this can happen to Carolee, my once and past setp.step mother this could happen to my my dad and current step mother—infact, could is the wrong word, they are going to die some time and true as the sun rises in the east—one day I am going to get that call that dad is gone peacon and, if you are going to have a relationship one had to act and act now. I have to admit I was touched by the time we were able to share.

Mark A called last night “they” have taken Carolee off life support. The death watch has begun they have cut the string to the kite Carolee on which Carolee was flying. Carolee is in free fall and ever at the time of this writing has pulled the rip cord on the chute into the next world. If indeed that has happened then that's two in my life cycle who have died on, Captain and Carolee and I do believe “law of Three's” so there is another one out there or maybe even me, that would be a drag, but I suppose better me then someone else. Hold, on I got to tag up on base then begin then begin my lead off.