Dear Al,

by Adrisole Q. Kazoo Sat 03 Jan 2009, 6:33 am

Dear Al,

They'd better be treating you right wherever you are right now, man. I hadn't realized until recently how insightful you are.

We were at Thanksgiving, and everyone was so shocked to see you. They didn't think you could make it out there. But, there you were, wearing a Chicago Bears hat to cover your loss of hair. Not like we minded. Even in that situation, you seemed happy to be there. I was in the front room with you and my dad, and football was on.

I said, "I don't like football. It's, like... blah."

You told me how I should go out of my box and look at new interests. Look at what's going on around you, you said.

I knew you were getting that new insight from the fact that you knew you didn't have much longer. And that was a really, really sad thing to understand.

I know you were never literally my 'uncle.' But you and great-Aunt Judy were in love, and that's all that mattered. I don't think you used to like me, much, though; you never really liked young kids! You were never mean, though. You were always funny and always came to Aunt Judy's house when Michelle and I were over.

Michelle and I would talk about how Aunt Judy should get re-married, so you could be our Uncle.

Do you remember when we were all in Wisconsin Dells? Michelle was in the parking lot at Zinke's, the grocery store, and, of course, she saw that boy she thought was cute... Do you remember how she asked you to go up to him and ask him to take a picture with her? And it happened all throughout the vacation and others to come?

And I think she still has those photos, Al! That was definitely a great memory with you.

Anyway, thanks for being there, in small ways, too.

- Jenna

Sorry if you don't understand what's going on here. I needed to get this out.