| | So I went to the memorial service today.
It took place in Oakland at Dave's church. It was a nice service, really heartfelt and of course heartbreaking (watching Auntie Chris stand up and shake was terrible). My dad stood up and gave a long speech (they were going to pass the mike around and Dad and then his cousin Steve instead talked for the whole time), my dad can really warm up a room. He told a Piona story, which is a great way to open, and then he talked about Dave's life, and it was really something, he only started breaking into tears at the end which was good. Only two small things I have to say about the service. At my funeral, no interpretive dance please. Four ladies stood up and started being various birds, and it just wasn't 'funeral'. Also, please, no crap ballads (I listened to a very well intentioned version of "Wind Beneath My Wings").
My uncle Carl looks bad, really bad. He lost his brother, and six months ago his daughter. He's turning into a ghost. My uncle Danny showed up, he didn't say much, but he's still alive, which is good. My cousin Daniel is so very tall, and Aaron is losing his baby face. Austin is Austin, he was rocking the black rocker look (he was sans girlfriend I'm a little worried that they're on the rocks). He ditches me as soon as another guy shows up, but whatever. I myself went with a classy forties style, black short sleeved blouse, pearls, a-line skirt, black sandals, black flower in my hair. Although I -really- don't like funerals, I do enjoy the idea of a uniform costume, it sucks to be here but at least we all show unanimity. I wonder if I could request a different color, like green, ask everyone to wear green at my funeral.
I got to hang out with my cousin (second cousin) Christian the last few days. I love this little kid, because he's the baby (only Tiffy's kids Hannah, 3 and Marshall 4 months are close, Aaron at 14 is the next youngest) he's kind of ignored. He talks a whole bunch, which I totally relate to, so he and I hung out (I think it annoys my mom that he's met her more often and can't remember her name, he knew mine -right- after meeting me and now she's gone from that lady with no name to Amber's Mommy). He'd ask questions and I'd answer him, mostly, but for a while (while watching Cinderella) he turned into Angry Kitty, and I had to defend myself (For reference Angry Kitties are -highly- susceptible to tickling). Hannah is a little different, she's a hyper screamer, Christian will just chill with you and talk (he either asks you what's going on, or tells you what's going on, he's very current events not really into interpretive analysis, that comes later). Last night we lay down on the rocks and looked at the stars, I told him how meteors work (he was very impressed), he told me about how he wanted a ionic blaster like Buzz Lightyear (I told him his mother probably wouldn't like that), then we talked about having lasers for eyes and how much fun that would be (he said he'd use them to blow up rocks), we talked about how slimy snails are (I mentioned that they need slime to move around because they lack feet), and how spiders are everywhere, but are only scary if you're a bug (we decided not to be bugs). Anyway, he's a delight, and it's a shame that everyone talks around him like he's not there.
At the reception, Austin played on the piano (lots of Doors, and chord progressions he can play chord progressions until you want to kill him), I sweet talked a little girl (named -Elena- how weird is that) while he cycled through his repertoire. I didn't really hang around with the adults much. I topped out on socializing, so I drove home.
It's really hot, and that's just blech.
posted by Amber at 10:37 PM
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