Route 153

An ending, a beginning, an ending January 16, 2008

When I finally work my way back to A on Alphabird, I’ll have to go somewhere. I’m thinking I’ll come here.

The title of this blog (Route 153) and subtitle (an all-night star-filled sky, a Queen Anne Victorian in an old slate town) are direct nods to Deloney’s The Danforth: an all-night bus, an apartment above a bakery. I’ll link you there, to him, but the Danforth name won’t be there, like that, forever. He’s not that kind of guy.

In even more of an homage to The Danforth, I was going to go with The 153, but a Google search of that term brought up some biblical stuff. Better keep to the streets.

It may be awhile before I’m hanging out here. Today, though, we on Route 153 have lost one of our own. We’ve lost Chuck. I wrote about him a little more than a year ago:

271/365 Chuck and a Third David
When they aren’t wintering in Florida and Mexico, they’re summering in Vermont in side-by-side houses in this quirky slate town. In less than a week, they can soak in all of winter’s gossip, then fill me in, the introvert-editor gal who actually lives here.

Today Sioux got an e-mail from David with this subject line:

Charles E. F_____, August 6, 1920–January 16, 2008

She immediately forwarded the e-mail to me, and I immediately called her. It is a sad day indeed.

I hope that David won’t mind that I repeat his words here. I want to hang onto them—them being the words, them being the couple, them being these two fine people who have meant a lot to me, only one of whom I will ever see again on Route 153.

It is with great sadness to let you know that my dearest partner, Chuck, passed away this morning at 11:24 A.M. I was standing beside his bed in ICU at St Joseph’s Hospital when his wonderful heart finally stopped for the last time.

Except for the fact that he wasn’t able to talk, due to the tubes in his mouth, he was aware I was there with him, holding his hand and patting his hair.

As in all of his life, he never once complained, and showed his appreciation to all the kindnesses the excellent medical staff provided.

Per our joint wishes, he will be cremated without services. His ashes will be distributed to his beloved homes in Vermont, Florida and Mexico.

I will forever miss him greatly. Ours was a blessed 30 years.