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Buster Posey-Giants
Here it is November 1st and my mother has been dead now for six weeks. A short time. especially when compared to my dad, dead now 40 years this month. He died even before the World Trade Towers went up, so he never had to witness the horror of them coming down. His soul is surely at peace by now – I feel no rustlings from him any more. But my poor little mom! Though old, she had some things to do on her list when the intestinal infection took her by surprise. By the time she was hospitalized, it was too late to save her.
So how to remember her and honor her on this Halloween, All Souls Day, Day of the Dead? My siblings and I have been celebrating our mom’s memory by watching and cheering for the Giants with double intensity! The last game Mom and I watched together was in the hospital – the game when the Giants beat the Dodgers to take first place for the first time. It was five days before her dying and by then she couldn’t speak but her eyebrows went way up and she mouthed the “Woo Hoo!” cheer silently. Buster Posey had just become her new heartthrob, replacing the languishing Tiger Woods. She’d look him up on the internet, marveling at his youthful looks and impressive stats.
Willing or fighting or accepting, I don’t which, Mom faded away at least knowing her team was headed for the post season, possibly the World Series, but also knowing she couldn’t follow along with them in this world.
During the series with the Braves and then the Phillies, my two sisters, brother and I have been steadfastly cheering ‘for Mom’. Texting wildly after the tortuous and spectacular wins. And of course, we goggled at the World Series games ‘for Mom’. But I’m the lucky one who watched with Mom. She’s ensconced inside her green soup tureen, in her Aftican basket tote, wearing her Giants cap. And I know it bounced when Wilson struck out the last Texas batter.
I admit the joy of winning lead to some tearful moments after the hoopla, thinking how she missed the grand finale and how much I miss her. Some have speculated, however, that it was she who helped her team along from wherever powerful place she now resides. Perhaps it’s a Day of the Not-So-Dead.
