A Christmas Passing
Monday, December 26, 2005 II
(14:06pm) Wisteria Sparrow’s 19th birthday – somehow Collette had never forgotten her birthday, or her brother’s (Jimmy) which was May 19th, or her older brother’s which was on August 5th. Some things just stuck. But it was also the first anniversary of the tsunami, and memorial services were being held in Southeast Asia that very afternoon. It was hardly a Monday – nothing but a Saturday. But the next day would, indeed, be Tuesday, and OLeif would be back for another four days of work before the New Years’ weekend.
It was later that afternoon that Collette received a phone call from OLeif while he was out getting Chinese for their lupper (Dad’s way of putting a lunch and supper together). OLeif told her that Clarence Sing’s wife had just passed away in her sleep the night before. He was all the kids’ voice teacher from choir, and Collette was very sorry for the poor fellow. The snorting-while-he-laughed-jolly-bellied fellow had just lost his wife, on Christmas. The third person to die on a Monday within the past four and a half years. Collette wondered about the funeral – if they would be able to come, and if Mr. Sing would still teach all the kids voice that semester. Passing thoughts…
Meanwhile, there were arrangements being made to watch “Muppets Treasure Island” that evening back at Mom’s and Dad’s, over hot chocolate and Christmas cookies perhaps. However, Wally and Curly were whining about the movie selection choice. In fact, likely the only thing that could entice the male version of Carrie and Elizabeth to come over for a film, was if they were planning to pop in “24” for the evening.