Even Superman Falls 5/4/09

Current mood: sad

It is the nature of this existence that we're given, that all things come full circle. Beings are born, beings die. This being said, sometimes even the inevitable is surprising.

My ex and I have maintained a distant relationship lately. Keeping it to simple e-mails and short messages. I know that he probably doesn't like it, but I feel it necessary to keep a little distance. He obliges me. Over the past year we've shared a journey. His father and my mother were both struck down with differing forms of cancer about this time last year. My mother finished her round of treatment for lymphoma back in March. I'm not sure what treatment course his dad was on. We kept in touch and asked after our respective parents...wishing the other luck in recovery. That sort of thing.

His father, Big Ned (the man was 6'4 and strapping in his youth...still an imposing figure well into his 70's) was a superman of sorts. That's how I came to regard him. The first time I met him some 8 years ago, he was competing in the senior olympics. He was beating men 10 years his junior. The officials said they hadn't seen a feat like his in quite some time.

The next time I saw him it was on his home turf. He took great delight in eating the last bit of whatever ice cream was in the freezer and then putting the empty container back into the appliance to frustrate his wife. He would then later ask her to get him some ice cream and act very indignant over the fact that there was none there. "Well, I wonder who ate the last of it....?" he would say, with an impish grin. He loved feeding the squirrels around his home and would go on "fossil hunts" bringing back rocks and pieces of rocks that he swore contained prehistoric creatures. Woe be to he who ventured into his "workroom" where he would hide all his treasures.

Big Ned did not do well in his fight against cancer. His once towering frame dwindled down pound by pound. Yet still he managed to sneak into the kitchen when the rest of the house was asleep and eat the last bit of ice cream.

He passed from this life into the next on Friday, May 1st. The love of his life was right by his side. Where she has been since they married as seniors in high school.

A toast to you, Big Ned. They don't make them like you anymore. I'm going to get some Blue Bunny tonight and toast with my son to his partner in crime and fossil hunting buddy.

You will be missed and remembered with a smile.