RE: Mausica.

2013-Sep-13-1058Hrs

Let me please, beg your indulgence, in lecturing all of you who read this blog.

There is a history that I was asked to help with, I did most of the work with the help of Joy Valdez, Pat Allum Ryan, and with contributions from Rodney Foster, Gwendolyn's tribute to Harry Joe at his funeral and others  that I cannot recall now typing from memory. Cover was designed, a picture of Harry Joe and the Cuff sent, from my group picture of 1968.

All of this was sent to AnnaMaria and Joy, for my 72nd. Birthday, March 27th. All thta was needed was printing. I know "Copy ready" I have two novels out.

That nothing came of it shows a lack of something. We have lots of words, putting out money to help bring this book to fruition was what was lacking.

That was point one.

We talk a lot of "family". Are we lying to ourselves?

When my brother died in New Jersey, in 2004, we had an older cousing living in a nursing home, who would have been inconsolable, if she only Heard that he had died. We got permission to "borrow" her from the nursing home, so she could attend the graveside service, and say goobye to this son of Williamsville. We had to be sure that we had a medical doctor or other health staff nearby. Fortunately, one of my nephews Dr. Adebanji Alabi, who was working in Sando at the time, was going to be at the funeral, as well as four of my sisters who are nurses, and one retired nurse. We got all the paperwork done, so this aged woman could say goodbye. This, I remind you, was the third death we were coping with in 17 days.

My cousin from Boston, driving to the funeral, arrived late. They were beginning to close the casket at the church. (Funeral officials are so bombastic, they behave as if its their dead.) Well my cousin is one of those solidly built African men who show no trace whatever of any other bloodlines. I insisted as the senior relative, that he be allowed to see my brother. The director looked at Felix's wife, and I stared them down. They reopened the coffin. What my cousin said still brings tears as I type this."This man , this son of our soil, did not come to America to die.(at 51) He came seeking a better life for his fmily,but death found him. We have to give a soldier's send off to this son of our soil.(He had been a police officer). My cousin unfurled a six foot  Trinbago flag, draped my brother's coffin in it, and saying another prayer of dismissal, we proceeded to the hearse and the cemetery. That, is what family does, in my opinion.

Now, for all the talk of Fitzy and the Cuff, could someone, or two people not have  arranged to have them come to Mausica, even by ambulance, for that section of the celebrations? That would have added years to their lives, and meaning, and they would have known they were loved.

It is how we treat the living ancestors that define our values.

Now, I'll get down off my soapbox, and go fix my breakfast.

Linda E. Edwards

Linda E. Romain.

Lecturer in English and History

1967-1969