A death in my family?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (203718)
Walnut Creek, California
February 22, 2017 2:59pm CST
As I was leaving to teach my 8 AM class this morning, I heard my 94-year-old Auntie's voice on my answering machine, saying I had to call her immediately. There was sadness in her voice, so I knew it was something serious.
My Uncle (her brother) died last Summer, my brother just got out of surgery, and she had been experiencing a burning pain in her head whose source the neurologists can't find. Had my brother died? Had they found a tumor in her brain? Had my nephew, who goes to Law School in Manhattan, been murdered?
I couldn't handle it. I went and taught my class. I taught well, and didn't think about who had died, or was near death, until I got to my truck after class. At my truck, I smoked a cigarette, something I don't normally do, and prepared myself for "the news." We've all gotten "the news" at some point in our lives, and it's something we never forget.
When I got home, I found out who had died. It was me. Following my Auntie's phone message was a message from my brother asking me if I was OK. He said that someone on my Facebook page had said I had died, or said something like "God bless you Horse, we miss you!" and posted a religious image.
I checked my apartment for signs that I was actually dead, and couldn't find any. No floating cherubs. No angels. No Moses or Jesus or Grandma reaching out to me. I asked my brother if he was real, and was confident that I was not dead. He said I sounded alive.
I realized that a Facebook message from one of my former colleagues had been picked up and run with by one of my Cousins, who tends to overreact to things. She had passed it on to another Cousin, who tends to overreact to things, and they had called my Auntie, who in turn called my brother.
My former colleague had indeed written "God bless you Horse, we miss you!", along with a religious image, on my most recent Facebook post. She meant that they missed me at my former job. She's a devout Catholic, like many El Salvadorians are, and a lovely lady. She worked with the infants of drug addicts in Oakland and then passed them on to me when they were 2-years-old or so.
I left a message on my Auntie's machine (she didn't pick up) and messaged my Cousin. In both, I used the famous Mark Twain misquotation, "Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated." The words, "Ask not for whom the bell tolls..." also went through my mind. If you're actually reading these words, it follows that I'm still alive. I am relieved.
21 people like this
14 responses
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
23 Feb 17
that's kinda sad then, her waiting to hear and not knowing.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
23 Feb 17
@TheHorse I know you have talked about her before, she seems like a character
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203718)
• Walnut Creek, California
23 Feb 17
@Jessicalynnt I see her as my best friend in many ways. Her body is frail, but her mind is sharp a a tack. And she was a psychologist in her working days.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
23 Feb 17
Well, my goodness...I am glad you are still among the living as I'm sure you and your family are also!
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
23 Feb 17
@TheHorse You could be living in an alerntive universe
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
23 Feb 17
@TheHorse If you did die wouldn't you just know how it happened?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203718)
• Walnut Creek, California
23 Feb 17
@AbbyGreenhill Maybe we get faked out and don't remember that semi coming over the center divider.
@TheHorse (203718)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Feb 17
@sallypup Wait, which one is that? Is it this one? Or are you confusing me with Steve Goodman ("You Never Even Call Me By My Name")? In my dreams.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20368)
• Fairfield, Texas
23 Feb 17
Oh, holy crap @TheHorse !!! A friend of mine who dug my stock tank for my donkeys had his picture in the obit section of the paper. I called his wife to tell her how sorry I was....except......HE picked up the phone. Oye Vay!!!!
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20368)
• Fairfield, Texas
2 Mar 17
@TheHorse I pert near fell over when he answered the phone. I asked him if he'd seen the obit in the paper and he said he had called the newspaper to ask them. Apparently his 'brother' had done it as a PRANK!!!! I told him he needed to watch his back. He called his brother and told him how would he like to have HIS picture in the paper; for REAL.
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
23 Feb 17
Sounds like the plot of a sitcom episode. Glad everyone's ok.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38469)
• Midland, Michigan
23 Feb 17
@TheHorse Most series do take place in a short amount of time, but they stretch it for years and years. Or maybe that's soap operas that last forever. I don't watch them anymore, but when younger if I missed any I could catch up even if not seeing them for a years time. It would be like it was yesterday.
@infatuatedbby (97992)
• United States
22 Feb 17
Glad it was all just a misunderstanding!!! I hope you got to contact your aunt soon, she is really worried.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (48855)
• United States
23 Feb 17
Wow, what a mix up. Your poor aunt and family. I know they are greatly relieved.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (72494)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Feb 17
Well congratulations on your rebirth. Glad to hear you are still with us. Actually something like this would really spook me. I woke up one morning feeling really strange and it sort of scared me but as long as my hubby said good morning and saw me and my cat responded to me | knew I was still around and happy to be.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29232)
• Eugene, Oregon
25 Feb 17
Well, we are glad to hear that you are still around and I am sure those "kid clients" that you work with are happy too.
@spiderdust (14744)
• San Jose, California
23 Feb 17
I'm sure your family was relieved to hear from you too! Did you also call your dramatic cousin?
1 person likes this