Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Where's Home?

In my last post, I told about the Three Kings Day parade and the great friends I got to enjoy it with. Yesterday, those great friends happened to stop at the new cafe outside our building. Elena's sister Ana was off for a walk, but Ana's husband Doug was there. They talked about my blog post and Doug reminded me that he was also at the parade Sunday and wondered why he didn't even receive honorable mention.

TRYING TO APPEAR RELAXED,
BUT I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT DOUG.

How did I forget Doug was there? He's warm, charming, interesting. We stood next to each other and talked much of the time. We walked together after the parade to have a drink. We told stories as we sat.

I HAD EVEN CROPPED DOUG OUT OF THIS PHOTO.

Doug and Ana are visiting for the holidays. We only just met Saturday night and I immediately liked them. Feeling guilty about possibly hurting Doug's feelings, I stewed the entire night and woke up still stewing.

DUDO: "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU FORGOT DOUG. I'M SO ASHAMED."

I doubt Doug lost any sleep over it (at least, I hope he didn't). But, just in case, this post is all about Doug... well, kind of.

MOOSE: YOU'RE ASHAMED? HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL? POOR DOUG.

Home is Where?
Ana is originally from Spain. Doug, from the American Midwest where they now live together. Doug had an uncle (he has many uncles). His uncle had a son who was kind of out-of-control. Not a bad kid; just always in motion. When the uncle died, Doug and Ana went to the funeral. It was Ana's first American Catholic funeral. She was used to the formal affairs she had experienced in Spain. Doug's family is, apparently, not very formal. In addition, Ana had never before been to an open-casket funeral.

Doug's now-adult cousin's son and other kids are as wild as the cousin had been when he was young. As Ana watched, in the midst of this oddly boisterous and festive funeral group were these children. Playing tag.

Ana was aghast when Doug's cousin's son, while dodging through the mourners, yelled, "Home is the casket!"


MY BROTHER CHUCK IS APPALLED, AS WELL.
HE HOPES THIS LITTLE DITTY MAKES DOUG FEEL BETTER. (TOO BAD THERE'S NO AUDIO...)

20 comments:

  1. I hope you are blushing with the awful realisation that you left Doug out!
    How could you? Its unforgivable!
    (I'm just trying to make you feel worse for the fun of it..........!!!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jean:
      Oh, I don't think I COULD feel any worse! But nice try...

      Delete
  2. You have a lot of 'splaining to do ... to Doug AND Dudo!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bob:
      I seem to constantly embarrass Dudo and Moose.

      Delete
  3. I have to admit that there is something philosophically compelling about the shout, "Home is the casket."

    Say hello to Doug from Wisconsin Dells where is was 15 below this morning.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michael:
      Ana has been posting on facebook to their friends back in the midwest just to let them know what the weather is here (65 and sunny). Isn't that nice of her?

      When I heard that phrase, I couldn't get it out of my head. Such a profound truth and out of the mouths of babes.

      Delete
  4. I am sure Doug will accept this post as restitution for your. let's say, oversight Mitchell. I think we've all been 'there' at some point.
    Should we be really disappointed in not hearing Brother Chuck sing? Just saying......

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim:
      Well... no word from Doug. But Ana said he slept until noon; so I don't think it him as hard as it hit me. As for hearing Chuck sing: I haven't heard Chuck sing since he was fairly young. One of those things that fell by the wayside as he got older. It's probably not a great loss... He had quite the tin ear!

      Delete
  5. Shame on you for cropping him out - just kidding! Tag at a funeral, that is a new one. My old boss told me that he gets so nervous at funerals he starts giggling, doesn't matter if he is really sad or not, the giggling takes over so he avoids them. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheapchick:
      At my grandfather's funeral, I had a cousin who was having a very difficult time. It was a very large extended family and they were all there... graveside. I whispered something to her, a reminder of some funny thing our grandfather would say. She burst out laughing... louder and more out of control than she had been crying. The entire family turned and glared at her. At least I got her to stop sobbing.

      Delete
  6. Just declare it "All About Doug" Day and he'll forgive you! ;))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Knatolee:
      OK. It's official. Today is "All About Doug Day" ... and, here, it's nearly over here!

      Delete
  7. You have me wondering if the kids played tag in church... surely the casket was closed before hauling it to the cemetery? The heck with Doug and his feelings... I want to know more about that funeral....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sharon:
      The kids played tag at the "wake" with the open casket as "home." I'm pretty sure they closed it before they headed to the cemetery. Pretty sure...

      Delete
  8. I love that's love that baby photo..... It's like an old man in a small kid's body x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John:
      Yeah, and now I'm like a small kid in an old man's body

      Delete
  9. I once wrote of personal friends and completely left out the only personal friend who knows about and reads my blog. You can never make it up, you know Mitchell. We will live with the guilt for the rest of our lives.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrew:
      So far... it looks like this won't get piled on top of all the things that keep me awake nights.

      Delete
  10. I'm sure Doug will forgive you for this horrible omission.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephen:
      I think he has... I wonder what I'll live to regret next...

      Delete

Please visit www.movingwithmitchell.com if you would like to comment or stay up to date. I stopped posting here and reproduced all previous posts, as well, 25 September 2018. Thanks!!!