Thoughtprints

Oh man. I just had a shock. I went to our local newspaper's web site, as I often do, and saw where Robert Giacomini has died. Bob and his wife, Millie (Millicent) lived behind my Mom (across the alley from her) for forever. They've lived there as long as I can remember, and still do. Of course, back then kids always called grown-ups Mr. or Mrs. I never would have dared calling them Bob and Millie back then!

They have a son, Matt, who is my age. We graduated together. He was always a really great guy. He was a brainiac AND a jock, but he never, ever did that whole I'm-better-than-you snob thing to anyone. While we were growing up he had 2 little sisters, Ann and Mary. I played over there in their back yard and in their house all the time as a kid. Mary was the youngest, and she loved to bite! That's right, BITE! I still have a very vivid memory of swinging on their swing set with them, when Matt and Ann went inside for something and left me out there with Mary. She reached out to hold my hand (or so I thought), but when I reached back she grabbed my arm and bit me! Man that hurt!! She used to bite a lot. *lol* After Matt and I had graduated from High School, he went off to Law School (following in Dad's footsteps), while Mom and Dad were making an "Ooops" baby! *lol* Nine months later Tony was born. It was quite a shock to the neighborhood. *lol* After all, they were in their forties, for pete's sake! *lol* Oh my, how times have changed. No one blinks an eye these days if a woman in her forties has a baby. I think he went to Law School, too, if I'm not mistaken.

I'm just really sad about it. It brought up sooo many memories for me; memories of a happy childhood and a really cool neighborhood where we all knew each other, and all the kids played together. Things just aren't like that these days. It brought back memories of Mom and Millie and Bob chatting over the back yard fence; Millie playing golf so much every Summer that her skin was always a deep shade of brown; Bob and Millie sharing produce from their garden with Mom ..... so, so many wonderful memories. But, everything is totally different now. Life is constantly shifting, I know, but this getting older crap is just that - crap! All these people who reside in my memory and were such a huge part of my life while growing up - and even into adulthood - are now dying. My Grandparents, all of my great-aunts and uncles (Mom was an only child), both of my parents, neighbors and friends of the family .... it just keeps going on and on. Sometimes I would give anything to go back in time and be a kid again, at home with my Mom, my sisters, Grandma and Grandpa and, of course, our dog Binky. Even my grandparents' house is gone. Mom's house - my childhood home and the place I could always go back to - now belongs to someone else. It all just kinda' sucks. But things are the way they are, and I would guess the way they're supposed to be. Still, I think if I make it to heaven someday, one of the first things I'm going to ask God is "why?".

Bless you, Bob. And all of your family.