The Death And Resurrection Show
I received word Wednesday evening that someone from my past had passed away that very day. And brings a chance of strange circumstance to potential this weekend, if possible.
Inez McGee was like a second grandmother to me. Well, technically third. But anyway, she was my next door neighbor when I was a little girl growing up in Chesapeake, and from when I was about 8 years old she used to come over at 6am and take me with her to garage sales on weekends. Having never even been aware of this concept where people in the neighborhoods sell their weird, cool stuff out on the front lawn I became intrigued and delighted by this world of cheap junk. Because as a child I sure had a lot of cheap junk of my own. And who else but a child could appreciate an older woman who saw the value of cheap junk at the level I did?
Then every summer her three granddaughters came to stay with her during the vacations months. They lived with their mother in Boston, and even better, they were all around my own age, so during those three months we all became the closet of friends. My youth in the late 70's and early 80's were colored vividly by our antics; skateboarding on their cousin's halfpipe in the driveway, swimming in our other neighbor's backyard pool, putting on elaborate variety shows for the people on the street, flirting with the Bevins brothers and their friends, and above all, getting caught up in the wild mischief that we always got in trouble for somewhere along the way. But in a way it was as if I had become accepted into Mrs. McGee's extended family, and my childhood with her and her three granddaughters are some of if not the most vivid imagery from my childhood that I can still recall.
I lost touch with the "girls" (as well called them) around 1987 when I went off to college. When I came back home for Christmas I caught up with Lara (the eldest) who came to visit her grandmother alone for the first time. A lot of unfortunate instances had taken place in the family around that time, and things were a little fractured. But after moving back home after my freshman year Mrs. McGee had moved away, and I never saw nor heard from her or the girls again.
Then just this past new years I was contacted by Lisa, the youngest, through myspace. She and Sheryl, the middle sister, had their own pages (even their mother) and I was delighted to see them still living in Massachusetts with families of their own. It was amazing talking to Lisa again, and we exchanged stories, photos, and caught up with one another after the nearly 20 years absence. None of them have been back to Virginia since I last saw them, and they had not seen their grandmother in almost same the amount of time.
So here is where things get interesting.
Lara and Sheryl may come down for the funeral this weekend. Lisa isn't sure if she can attend because she has a very young daughter to look after. And so far I'm not certain when the funeral will take place. I am scheduled to go to Richmond on Sunday to see Jandek, but if the girls come into town after all I want to be here to visit with them, despite the circumstances surrounding the visit.
But it's been 20 years. We're not the same four girls, trodding over hot summer tarred streets in bare feet singing along to "Atomic Dog" and doing up our hair and leopard-skin make-up like our idol Annabella Lwin. How much has changed? How much of each other still influences the other?
I'm still waiting to hear back. The trip is kind of on hold until then. Eh, I still haven't gotten my car inspected yet anyway. Probably best I don't travel.
Inez McGee was like a second grandmother to me. Well, technically third. But anyway, she was my next door neighbor when I was a little girl growing up in Chesapeake, and from when I was about 8 years old she used to come over at 6am and take me with her to garage sales on weekends. Having never even been aware of this concept where people in the neighborhoods sell their weird, cool stuff out on the front lawn I became intrigued and delighted by this world of cheap junk. Because as a child I sure had a lot of cheap junk of my own. And who else but a child could appreciate an older woman who saw the value of cheap junk at the level I did?
Then every summer her three granddaughters came to stay with her during the vacations months. They lived with their mother in Boston, and even better, they were all around my own age, so during those three months we all became the closet of friends. My youth in the late 70's and early 80's were colored vividly by our antics; skateboarding on their cousin's halfpipe in the driveway, swimming in our other neighbor's backyard pool, putting on elaborate variety shows for the people on the street, flirting with the Bevins brothers and their friends, and above all, getting caught up in the wild mischief that we always got in trouble for somewhere along the way. But in a way it was as if I had become accepted into Mrs. McGee's extended family, and my childhood with her and her three granddaughters are some of if not the most vivid imagery from my childhood that I can still recall.
I lost touch with the "girls" (as well called them) around 1987 when I went off to college. When I came back home for Christmas I caught up with Lara (the eldest) who came to visit her grandmother alone for the first time. A lot of unfortunate instances had taken place in the family around that time, and things were a little fractured. But after moving back home after my freshman year Mrs. McGee had moved away, and I never saw nor heard from her or the girls again.
Then just this past new years I was contacted by Lisa, the youngest, through myspace. She and Sheryl, the middle sister, had their own pages (even their mother) and I was delighted to see them still living in Massachusetts with families of their own. It was amazing talking to Lisa again, and we exchanged stories, photos, and caught up with one another after the nearly 20 years absence. None of them have been back to Virginia since I last saw them, and they had not seen their grandmother in almost same the amount of time.
So here is where things get interesting.
Lara and Sheryl may come down for the funeral this weekend. Lisa isn't sure if she can attend because she has a very young daughter to look after. And so far I'm not certain when the funeral will take place. I am scheduled to go to Richmond on Sunday to see Jandek, but if the girls come into town after all I want to be here to visit with them, despite the circumstances surrounding the visit.
But it's been 20 years. We're not the same four girls, trodding over hot summer tarred streets in bare feet singing along to "Atomic Dog" and doing up our hair and leopard-skin make-up like our idol Annabella Lwin. How much has changed? How much of each other still influences the other?
I'm still waiting to hear back. The trip is kind of on hold until then. Eh, I still haven't gotten my car inspected yet anyway. Probably best I don't travel.
posted by Melissa at 7:19 AM
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