Saturday, March 10, 2007

You're my medicine, open up and let me in

Nothing sweeter than hearing Ben Harper soulfully covering the classic Marvin Gaye number, Sexual Healing. Perfect weekend anthem...

Today was the funeral. Yesterday was the wake. Many tears fell which will no longer come back, but the stocks have been replenished for the next event - hopefully something which makes us laugh so hard, it is beyond making a sound. I had only met Nonkel Erik once - at that stage he was already severly damaged by the horrible degenerative dementia/alzheimers, yet he still looked quite well so there was no need to fear the worst. It had been a year or so since the previous time Tom visited, and the downhill slide had been apparently freakishly rapid. From someone who forgot what he wanted to say, to a dear, not-so-old man who was unable to walk anymore and only able to communicate with his eyes. A healthy, very fit and active, fresh-fish small business owner, who thought the world of his family (where the feeling was equally given in return) is no longer, and it has affected the Matheus extended family heavily.

Ironically enough, we have a wedding (on the other side of the family) within two weeks, so I am hoping that this event will use the newly replenished tear reserves, and nothing so tragic as what we have seen this weekend.

Tot de volgende keer, nonkel Erik. Ik hoop dat ik met u in het volgende leven op een terasje iets kunnen gaan drinken en hopelijk zie jij dat Tom heeft zijn trien gevonden. Santé.

Erik De Troyer 1 Sep 1939 - 4 Mar 2007

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