I met James when I was 12 years old. He and my Aunt Elaine had just started dating and I remember being nervous about meeting this mystery guy. But, upon meeting him, I realized what an amazing person he was. He had this manner about him - this charisma - that made me like him instantly. This like turned into a love over the years of knowing him. James was not just my Aunt's boyfriend in my eyes, he was Uncle James and he was family.
After they had dated for a while, they moved in to an apartment together in La Jolla, CA. I don't remember my visits like I wish I could, but I remember my mom and I would drive down and stay with them for weekends. And then, when that wasn't enough for me, my mom would take me to the train station and I would visit on my own. Everytime I got off that train, James would welcome me with a big smile and a hug. I loved these trips.
Sometimes we wouldn't do much of anything. We'd relax and joke around and watch movies. Other weekends we would go to Torrey Pines State Beach and goof around. Building sand castles, playing in the water, and just talking.
He was the easiest person to talk to as he never judged and was always attentive. And if things would get too serious, he always knew how to break the ice and get me laughing again.
I remember he used to try to teach me to play chess. And how frustrated I would get because in my mind, things needed to be logical, and this game made no sense to me. But he always made it fun and never got impatient.
When my aunt and James broke up, I remember being devastated. In my eyes, he was perfect. They were perfect. I didn't want to not have James as my Uncle James anymore. But their breakup did not change our relationship. My aunt and he remained friends and we still talked.
One year my aunt threw a Halloween Party, and James came as a Grim Reaper. I was a nurse. And my aunt was a cat. That night I read tarot cards for him, even though I had never done so before. And everything felt like old times. No matter how long it had been between seeing him, things always picked up where they left off.
James brought a lot to this world and I feel blessed to have had him in my life.
1 comment:
This was wonderfully written. You conveyed your history with James, very tightly compacted in anecdote, and sweetly explained how he affected your life and how much you loved him, all in a simple and straightforward way. I loved reading this.
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