Of humor.
When I taught preschool
He left messages
On my phone.
Perhaps he would
Be a scam artist
Offering me
A free trip to Paris.
Or I would hear
His silky voice with
A French accent
Inviting me to a
Tryst.
He had a silly song,
Poem, or
Ditty
For every occasion.
He had one liners
Or long stories that
Stretched on and on
Until the punch line
Punched.
Once at a senior Bible
Study,
The elderly ladies were
So intent on his
Story, that to
Jack's chagrin, I shouted,
"It's okay! It's just a
Joke!"
He actually bought me
A cap inscribed with
The words
"Fiber Rules"
Because he knew
For me, it does.
I often implored him,
"Don't ever lose your
Sense of humor."
"Of course not,"
He assured me
Even as the dementia
Began to set in,
He could still make
Me laugh.
When a friend stopped
By and greeted him with
"Hi, Jack"
He gave his usual reply,
"Don't say that in the
Airport."
Weeks before he died
I asked him,
"Do you know who I am?"
"Of course, I would
Never forget you,
Delores."
I laughed and gave him a
Hug.
But finally, his
Body shut down.
His mind shut down too.
Communication stopped.
I followed the ambulance
On his final earthly
Trip till we
Arrived at the hospice
Facility.
Once there,
I stood sentry by his
Bed while the
Nurses got him
Settled.
Something caused me to
Bend over and
Speak softly into his
Ear.
"Do you know who I am?"
And something deep
Inside my Jack gave
Him the strength to
Force out the name
"Delores."
It was the last word he
Ever spoke.
He kept his promise to
The very end.