Uncle Phil
...written on 2001-05-07, @ 9:41 a.m.
Sun May 6, 2001
Wednesday I was in my kitchen pasting up fake black and white tiles over the pale green ceramic ones that were there. It was a somewhat tedious job especially when I had to make templates to cut around the fixtures on the wall. I confess, I wasn't being scientific about it, not overly precise, you know, "close enough for government work", as we Americans are fond of saying.
At any rate, in the middle of the project, I suddenly thought to myself, "I wish Uncle Phil were here. He'd have this done in a jiffy." I was surprised I thought this, because I know Uncle Phil more for his ability in electronics rather than home decorating, etc., but I followed the thought.
I told myself that when I got a moment I would sit down at the computer and write my Uncle Phil an email, and tell him that I was thinking about him. I listened to the sound of the falling rain as I mentally went on composing my future email and drawing the template for the tile going above the water faucet.
I was going to describe the rain that was coming down in Ogaki and how it glistened in the sheen of street lamps like chips of mica falling in rays of sunshine. I was going to explain how I felt, being in a strange country and trying to make a life and a small apartment space seem like a home. I was going to tell him all this because I knew he would understand.
I was going to tell him how much I appreciated his sharp sense of humor (especially when he was poking fun at my Dad). I was going to say how much I admired his relationship with his current wife, Debbie, and how it motivated me to keep on looking and not give up on finding love.
So, when I finally took a break to sit down at my computer and put my thoughts down in an email, I saw that I had a message from my Dad about Uncle Phil. I held my breath. I didn't want to read it because I knew then that it was too late to say all those things. My Uncle Phil was dead.
So I want to say them to you, my internet audience. I want to tell you that I admired and loved my Uncle Phil. I want to tell you that my thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family. I want to tell you not to wait until you have a spare moment in your lives to tell the ones you love just how special they are and how much you appreciate them, because in an instant you can be sorry that you didn't make the time to do it sooner.
Uncle Phil
November 23, 1944 - May 1, 2001