Great Grand

My Great-Grand is very sick. She doesn't have much longer to hold on. Once the doctors told us, she was moved into hospice care. Her clock now ticks backwards to zero.

Ever since I got to know her, she's helped me come out of my shell. When I was at my lowest she allowed me to speak, not to an empty room, but at least to an empty society. She was a horrible cook. And she did things that's no one truly ever understood. Quite frankly I think she suffered from a bit of dementia.

Her house was always full of strange new people. She was always letting anyone in. It only hurts now because some of those selfsame people who were never the nicest to begin with, now they derive my Great-Grand. Let her rest! Let her go in peace! You didn't like her, don't speak of her. She's beyond hearing you now. Your wish is granted she's passing. How much better will your life be now? Go!, Leave her house! There are few of us left. We will hold her hand till her timer goes to zero. Don't show her in the last ticks of her clock your disdain and you're hidden betrayal.

She was not the smartest. She was not the biggest. We all have mixed feelings about Great-Grand. But for the most part we stayed. For whatever our individual reasons. Our Great-Grand will always be a memory that brings a colorful discourse. But she was a Great-Grand.

I for one, will sit by her side and hold her hand. And I will tell her stories. And I will speak poetry to her, and to all who still come to visit. I will be in the end as she wanted me to be in the beginning. And when her clock falls to zero, she will know that at least in me she made an impression. This is not a goodbye. She's not gone just yet. Although her systems are failing. The doctor says they're on schedule. So the clock ticks.

I will save my goodbyes to my Great-Grand. I have said my goodbyes to some of her many visitors. Goodbye Mary, goodbye Jane. We may someday meet again. I remember that time she let us all get together in one of her great Hangouts. I remember that time she had the writing contest. I remember the time of fights. Of the disagreements. Of the mutual admiration Society, Chinese fire drills, and Circle jerks. My Great-Grand was a woman of many opinions.

It's so quiet in her room nowadays. I look around at all the pictures that people have sent her over the years. I guess that all goes away. After all without her why the house. Shhhhh, she's resting again. She's so tired now. So frail. Sometimes mind you, only sometimes. I just want to hug her even while she's sleep and hope that her dreams show me hugging her wherever it is she goes when she sleeps. Come here oh, you old crazy bat you!... But then I open my eyes.. And I untangle myself from her life support equipment and breathing tubes and endless row of medication that's not there to save her life. But much like me only there to comfort her until her clock ticks down to zero.

My Great-Grand. I didn't know you long enough. And soon I won't know you at all. LOL you never even liked being called Great Grand. So I guess I won't be disrespectful and I'll just call you what you preferred G+