September 4, 2022
Dear Walt,
Today is your birthday. You’d be 68 years old. I woke up thinking about you, trying to imagine what you’d look like now, wondering if your hair would still be the color of Mom’s? With threads of grey, but not fully grey. And what you’d be doing. Would you be retired ?, spending days fishing for Bass, or taking Road Trips on your Harley. Would you still live in Ballwin? Or someplace else? That special place you dreamed about?
Would you have your same fun sense of humor, and easy to laugh charm? And dress in stylish clothes, just like you stepped off the pages of GQ? Most surely, you’d have a dog. Would it be another Heeler? And her name? Maybe, Betsey 2. I remember Casey, the beautiful Irish Setter you once had. How he ate the fur off the collar of my new coat, and would jump over the back yard fence. You loved that dog, and said he was just lively.
I thought how we might play a game of Monopoly (Patty and I still laugh about that marathon game we played sitting at the dining room table at our home on Flora. How you were teasing me about becoming a land baron, buying up all the properties when i quickly took your cigarette out of the ashtray and burnt down all your hotels. The look on Patty’s face, and how you just laughed and laughed), or Cribbage like we once did. And sit and have a beer together, although mine is now non-alcoholic, and maybe yours would be,too. And talk and reminisce about our wonderful life and good times we shared. You might ask me again if I wanted to take a road trip with you on your Harley. This time I’d say yes.
I love you little brother. And miss you lots.
Your sister,
Kathy
P.s. I’m wondering too, if Mother and Gary have stopped by? Are they there with you now? Give them big hugs and kisses from me (I sure hope they have hugs in Heaven).
*Walt with his nephew, Gavin. A favorite photo of mine
