Dear Waters
Who could have imagined the morning we hung out by the side of the road in Grenville a little more than a week ago that the ancestors were getting ready to call you home.
Just days before the two of us talking of our aging bodies and what kinda stretches we got to do for sore knees, feet hips; what activities we can and cannot do anymore; the two of us laughing declaring, “We nah give up! life too short!” Me and you just outside of Courts on a sun filled Saturday morning speaking so longingly of days gone; days where me, you Theo and the rest of the crew down in the park every Saturday/Sunday morning playing football; us in our 20’s kicking the ball so wild and free; our no-pain, flexible bodies running, kicking, sprinting, juggling balls between feet, knee, chest; us playing small goal with under 15 girls and boys; they running this way and that and we keeping up til we can’t keep up any longer; us lining up at the standpipe gulping water through cupped hands; us with snow ice between teeth heading home or to the market. Us alive and free in our young bodies, not a mention or whisper of death (well not our own deaths anyways).
A week ago the two of us bouncing up in Grenville reminiscing of the good old days when our bodies matched the youthfulness of our minds. We laughing, “Our minds young so what happened to our bodies?” That day we encouraging each other to keep moving, you with your bright yellow mountain bike parked up between us, me with my solid blue hiking boots.
And then death come. Not even a week pass before death come for you and I am here this morning wondering how that happened when you looking so bright and radiant and full of good cheer. You full up on acceptance, “death coming for all of us so what we going to do?” I hear those words rolling playfully, respectfully from your smile last week and I am left sad and struck and a bit fearful and angry and unbelieving and yet here we are: Theo waking me up this morning with “You hear what happened to Waters?” and me burrowing under the covers knowing, just knowing the ancestors come for you dear brother….
Rest in peace and power dear friend and brother, Waters.