February 2004

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I knew it was not good news when I got e-mail tonight from my friend Chris, asking me to call him immediately. Chris isn't in the habit of being dramatic, so I knew he didn't mean, "immediately next week." And I was right. He was getting in touch to tell me that a friend here in town, JV, had died, of complications from a stroke. JV was the widower of W, the friend I wrote of in this entry.

I didn't know JV as well as I had known his wife, but I cared about him. He almost always had a smile to share, and he was the sort of person who never let pass an opportunity to be kind.

JV had been pretty much lost without his wife. They had been married well over fifty years at the time of her death. Not too long after that, I spent part of an afternoon visiting with him. He told me that every evening when he went home from his store he had a glass of wine and toasted her memory.

He went on to say that he always made sure to do this in the living room, where her ashes resided on the mantle. I thought that was utterly lovely. Having known the lady, I'm pretty sure she would have enjoyed it, too.

I'm not much of a drinker of alcohol, but that doesn't mean I won't raise a glass to toast JV and his beloved W. Chris said tonight that many people, on hearing of JV's passing this afternoon, had said their grief at JV's death was eased a bit by the thought of the couple being together again. So is mine. I know in my soul that is a joyous reunion.