A Remembrance

Well here are are, two day's after my birthday. Do I feel any different? Not really. I will have to say that it posed for some good celebration memories with K. on Friday night and the family on Sunday afternoon. But as I sit here at the close of another working day I have something else on my mind at the moment. And that would happen to be the passing of my father on May 20, 1990. Yes, it is a day late so-to-speak, but I'm in the process of converting Internet providers at home and hence am stuck at the moment. The events surrounding my fathers passing are not pleasant, but here goes. See, my father was working the graveyard shift at a local gas station on the night of the 17th when he was randomly robbed and shot. The robber initially retrieved the money from the cash register. Around $30 due to this gas stations policy to place excess cash into a nearby safe through a slit for which only the store manager knows the combination. My father was then asked to lay down and not to call the police. My father waited a few minutes after the robber left and then made the call. While on the phone, the robber reappeared and authoritatively restated that he was not to call the police and proceeded to shoot my father. Of course this part was recorded and my father was air lifted to the hospital. He survived the initial surgery and became well enough to tell his story to the police. I decided to return to work the following day (on the 20th) and then left early in the morning upon a call from mom to return to the hospital. Once there, there was a flurry of activity surrounding my father. It had happened. He passed away. An autopsy revealed a major vein just behind the heart that had been nicked by one of the bullets, but not damaged enough to be found during the initial surgery. Of course, given time, the weakened vein failed.

He currently rest in the Santa Fe National Cemetery in New Mexico. We visited him yesterday and will plan to do so again this coming weekend for Memorial Day. Yesterday was a quite time to reflect. Next week will be a time to both reflect and honor his service in the US Navy for 27 years.

There are many things to say about him. Perhaps I will delve there in the future, perhaps not. But for now, this will suffice. To A.J.W., I say, "Live long and prosper, for you will live in us always."

Draw strength from memories of the past, for they will help guild your future.