Nothing lasts forever and everything fades away. The sun and the wind and the rain will eat away everything on this world, molecule by molecule, until it merges with the sky and the ground. Over the subsequent millions of years the bits and pieces will combine, separate, and recombine with all matter on the planet […]
Impossible Choices
I meant to write about Casey Kasem when he passed away, but I knew I needed time to get my thoughts in order. We’re going on 10 months since my father’s death from Lewy Body and nearly 12 months since the onset of his decline. I knew from the moment they described Kasem as having Parkinsons […]
My Father’s Father Part 9 – The Lost Boy
Russell from the movie Up said it best. “Sometimes it’s the boring parts I miss the most.” I remember being lost only once, in a store, distracted by the toy aisle. I can’t remember with certainty if I panicked or if I stood frozen, waiting for Mom. I remember the cold light, the tall shelves, […]
My Father’s Father Part 8 – One More Time With Feeling
I’m wondering if this rabbit hole was too deep. My head whipped about like a windsock in a stiff breeze as I experienced it realtime. The thoughts came jumbled and in floods, often times needing weeks to put down. In my mind the narrative never unfolded sequentially and that’s why you’ve been tasked with following my tale […]
Where do I start?
Welcome new readers and old. The easiest way to find what you’re looking for is to follow my organizational method. If a post belongs in a series you’ll find the series grouped into pages at the top or in the side menus.
My Father’s Father Part 7 – Expectations
It’s late May and I’m exhausted. For Memorial Day we set out to visit my father in law for few days. During that visit I hopped over to my hometown and met with my family. I wanted to give them the full story from my lips and take questions. I didn’t know just how much […]
My Father’s Father Part 6 – Raising the Dead
Wakin’ Bakin’, a delicious eclectic breakfast eatery near Greenwood Cemetery in New Orleans, treated us like locals and gave us a supremely satisfying breakfast of burritos, potatoes, pastries and biscuits. It’s the kind of place where the staff all have tattoos and the serving ware consists of mismatched plates and cups. Located in an old […]
My Father’s Father Part 5 – The Not So Big Easy
One night while researching various family trees my brother discovered an Ancestry user with a detailed tree for the Mullers reaching back over 200 years. The tree was like a godsend when our search needed it. This tree even had a twist involving a family with a different name, but clearly still a Muller. While […]
My Father’s Father Part 4 – Down by the Bay
The Historical Society proved beneficial in a couple of ways. We found a clearer shot of Charles’ family in 1900, the year he was born. We also discovered the maiden name of a “lost cousin” of the family. Well, she wasn’t lost to the Mullers or the Moreaus, only to me. Thanks to a local history […]
My Father’s Father Part 3 – Rebirth
Things didn’t get better, though. One month after going into prison his father dies. The obituary mentions Charles as one of the children, but he is unable to attend. Sadly this is the last time an obituary mentions Charles. To make matters worse, his release attracted the attention of the Attorney General who threatened to […]
My Father’s Father Part 2 – The Old Cup and Ball Trick
The Cup and Ball Trick is the oldest in the book. You show a player the ball and place it under a cup. You surround that cup with two empty ones and proceed to move the cups about in some chaotic, obscuring fashion. The objective is to mix them up so much the player has […]
My Father’s Father Part 1 – The Not Knowing
There’s an archetype of sorts in the panoply of southern literature, that of the wandering man, dirty and dark. His thoughts a brooding mixture of childhood atrocity and modern masculine struggle. He thrusts himself into situations with ruthless abandon or withers away in silent anger. He doesn’t have a name, or not one that matters. […]