The Last Word

When I first hear that someone has passed away unexpectedly, there are many things that run through my mind. How did it happen?  How is their family taking it? What was their legacy?

One other thing always runs through my mind:

What were the last words that I spoke with them?

Were they words of anger?

Were they words of love?

Were the words we spoke stupid?

Were they profound?

As a few of you know, my family had an unexpected death recently. My stepbrother, Ken, passed away alone but peacefully and it has caused me to look back on our last meeting and ponder.

Ken and I were almost exact contemporaries. We were the same age and born in the same year. We were even roughly the same height and build. He had a bigger smile and I had more hair.

During high school, Ken was the guy I always wanted to be. He was popular and had loads of friends. He was always the life of their party.

Oh, and he loved the Beatles.

Over the 41 years that our parents have been married, we saw each other frequently or infrequently as our lives progressed. But, hey, that’s how families are, right?

41 years of ups and downs and just plain life.

The last time I saw Ken was last Thanksgiving. My family had chosen to meet at the memory care facility where my Dad is staying and to share a stress free holiday meal.

All of us sat around the table and talking and telling stories. Heck, we even all got to sing “The Gambler” when my Dad got started so we all sang along.

I remember Ken smiling as the whole table sang “You gotta know when to hold ‘em. Know when to fold ‘em…”.

We had a good time and the laughs were plenty.

Ken and I were the last ones out of the compound as my stepsister helped my stepmother to the car and then home.

We were walking across the parking lot when it happened.

Ken turned to me and said “Hey, Micheal?”

“Yeah, Ken?”

“Love ya, Bros.”

I was taken a bit aback, but…

“Love you, too.”

And we parted.

On the way home, it struck me. In the 41 years our parents have been married, that was the first time we had ever said that.

Those were also the last words we ever spoke to each other … and they were perfect.

“Love you, Bros.”

“Love you, too.”