Weekend of memories.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 09:55PM This past weekend, Memorial Weekend here in the United States, Randy and I went to eastern Washington for a weekend of flying, barbecuing, and generally having fun with a group of friends.
I think, all told, there were about fifteen people in attendance, at various points during the weekend.
Saturday afternoon, we got a phone call from Cort, who told us that our friend Hugo was not going to survive the day, and if we wanted to say goodbye we’d better call right now. We hiked out into the wheat field where our phones had the tiniest bit of reception, and called Hugo in his hospital bed in Guadalajara.
Randy talked to him first, and then he handed me the phone. Hugo sounded the same as always, laughing and talking my ear off, telling me that he’s been doing some thinking. I guess finding out that you have just a couple of weeks to live makes you think pretty hard.
He said he spent some time looking out of his window at all of the people hurrying by on the sidewalk below, and thinking about the fact that every one of them will be facing death someday, even if not in the same way he’s facing it. He also said that he was glad to have me in his life, that he was happy to have been part of my life, and that our trip down to Casa Milagros for our wedding was one of the best times he could remember having in that house.
I could tell he was getting tired, and I didn’t want to take any more of his time away from Antonia, so I started to wrap up the conversation.
He said he loved me, I said I loved him back, and then we said goodbye.
I’m not certain at this point if he’s passed away yet, but I do know that I’ve talked to him for the last time. He’ll be missed, by more people than he could ever think would miss him.
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Reader Comments (4)
Somehow as I read through this thinking that if there happens to be an afterlife, Hugo's afterlife will pretty much be the same as it was when he was alive. I'm so glad that we chose Casa Milagros to stay on that trip to Yelapa. We've met so many great people there, including Hugo. I'm sure he'll have a wonderful monument in that fantastic cemetery at the top of the mountain. I can't wait to go see it.
I was thinking about you the other day, my dear, and how it's been a couple of weeks since we've had any sort of discourse, witty or otherwise. I was going to text you something banal/silly this weekend but thought better of it for some reason. I sit here a bit misty eyed in Caffetto having read this and my heart goes out to you, to Hugo, to Antonia. I'm sorry my dear.
It is sad to know that when I return to Yelapa and Casa Milagros, and I will; Hugo will not be there. He is a big part of the wonderful weekend we spent with friends and family, enjoying the Miracle that is Casa Milagros.
lana, i'm so sorry. i'm also happy to be among those you consider a friend because you are certainly a great friend to have. this is a lovely tribute.