Let Us Treat Jim Fetzer with Kindness

[Charles Drago]

I am planning a moment of silence at 3:13pm pst this afternoon, which will last for 13 seconds, to pay my last respects to Jim Fetzer who has left us. Anyone wishing to join me is welcome to do so in the privacy of their own thoughts.

RIP

You're writing metaphorically, of course.

My first reaction -- I'm quite exhausted after a prolonged period of family health crisis -- was one of shock and sadness.

All of which begs any number of important metaphysical issues ...

Yes, Charles, I am writing metaphorically--at least to a degree. However, when one's "mind" goes away...it is similarly tragic.

[I apologize for the overly melodramatic tone. My intent wasn't to cause alarm.]

Nothing for which to apologize.

As it happens, my 90-year old Uncle Arthur -- my late mother's brother who, along with her, raised me after my father passed in 1960 and who now lives with me -- has spent the last eight weeks recuperating from a series of non-life threatening but very challenging (and lifestyle-threatening) illnesses. The details are not relevant to this discussion other than to note that he is the person who is closest to me in this life and, I think, in the next, and that my struggle is to give him a fighting chance to resume his routine at home. Mild mental impairment is one of the consequences of all this.

His, not mine.

I thimk.

Anyway, the flight of Jim's mind is all too reminiscent of Uncle Arthur's predicament -- except that, in Unc's case, a much smaller bird has flown.

So endeth the Woe is Me segment of our program.