I have to go get the van aligned this afternoon, the addition of the new tie rod end knocked things out of place a little and my steering wheel no longer sits straight when I am going straight. I have an appointment with the local guy at 4.
It got me thinking about the kids, they had come up with their alignments about a week ago based on the D&D rules. Chandler was lawful good, Ben chaotic good, Jake chose chaotic neutral. Poor Jake, he wants to be a little bad, be he just isn't. Like yesterday, I was leaving for the funeral and he hopped out of bed and got dressed to come with me. I told him it was okay, but he said there was nothing to getting ready and coming along in case I needed him.
I don't have a purse, so I asked him to hold my keys and he beamed-THERE was the proof that I needed him along. HE had pockets. hahaha! What a great kid.
The funeral was good-great even. Daddy did the officiating and I was instantly annoyed everyone I knew was not there to hear him speak-in particular Ben and Chan. He has a manner of speaking, a cadence, a manner of choosing his words that is both engaging and soothing. He did not talk in a detached way about Mabel's life, he told stories of knowing her. He told about Uncle Grady borrowing a horse to ride down the road a piece to see a cross-eyed girl someone said he might like to know. And how Grady decided he was just not interested in cross-eyed girls. By the end, we were all in tears, not so much over losing Mabel, but in awe of such a life, so quietly lived, that managed to touch so many others.
I saw yesterday how religion works as a balm and not just as a way to control the masses-women in particular. Everyone took pleasure in thinking of her in heaven, everyone just knew she was up there, waiting on Grady to get there, saying hello to old friends. I myself like to think of Granddaddy up there, his rows of crops and not a bug or weed one to contend with. He would tell me every year, "I ain't agonna farm NO more, I'ma waitin' to get to heaven so I ain't gotta monkey with the grass!" His blue eyes would sparkle then, envisioning the way it would rain just enough and dry right out for harvest, ears of corn at the perfect level, beans that fairly leapt off the vines into his baskets.
Mabel lived 90 years, she was married 70 of those. She had 3 children, 5 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. She was apart from Grady for one year and 8 months while he served overseas in the war. He never left her again after that, she either came along with him, such as on church business, or it was just for a morning or afternoon while he worked in his barber shop. I always thought of Grady as the biggest man I knew, but I think it was Mabel who filled him out. I don't imagine Uncle Grady will live much longer now, he never did like being away from her.
When the service was over and Daddy bowed his head for the closing prayer, he made it to 'Thank you, Father" before becoming overcome with emotion. I don't know what else he had planned to say, but I think that was enough.
