I hope you had an Uncle Bill in your family,
A soulful man, beaming bright eyes, whose smile reflected in yours!
You just wanted to hug him, keep him all to yourself.
Ever known a man like that?
Saturday night’s were dancing nights, The Elks Club.
Sweethearts of Swing they were!
All the ladies would ask Auntie Fran, if they could dance with him.
He had a suave lead, gentle ease, enticing scent,
that man always smelled good.
It was one fateful dancing night when laid upon the floor ,
Uncle Bill slipped away into the night, door of heaven slammed tight,
keeping him forever.
“Not my Uncle Bill, mama, Not my Uncle Bill,”
we ALL cried ourselves to sleep that night.
Innocence soft sighing prayer,
"I didn't get to say good bye."
Have you ever experienced a Full Irish Service?
You’d think you were at a New Years Eve party!
That is just the way he would have wanted it.
Little Michelle and I were best of friends,
cousins one year apart.
We stood by Auntie Fran in reception line.
Trying to be strong for her, to hide our grief,
painful tummy aches. We kept smiling saying,
“I love you in our kindest way.”
Then one fragile looking woman reached out
her hand to Auntie Fran , so polite did say,
“ I am so Honored to have been his last dance.”
The words that stumbled out of my mouth,
I can’t believe still…….I looked in horror at Michelle,
opened wide my mouth,
“Did you hear that?"
That’s the lady who danced our Uncle Bill to death!”
We both stood there staring, watching her.
Auntie Fran was so gracious, gave her tender hug.
I just don’t want to recall what happened….can you?
You guessed it right!
WE GOT THE GIGGLES
our aching tummies were full of air…
the harder we tried to hold it in?
the Louder and LOUDER we got!
For some ungodly reason, it was just so damn funny,
we just fell apart holding on to each other,
laughing our guts out!
tears rolling down our faces!
Oh, lord in heaven, I swear to you, we could not stop!
Auntie Fran gave us "the death ray glare."
The harder we tried to hold it in…..the more n more it hurt.
We tried to cover our faces buried within our little fingers,
that didn’t work out so well……..either!
Then cousin Karen came and asked...... what’s the matter?
….that’s when I spilled the beans…..shot myself in the head, a full six rounds
“that’s the woman who danced our Uncle Bill to death.”
A look of OUTRAGE is upon Auntie Fran’s face.
Little Karen ran away crying to her mother.
Michelle said, ‘we better get out of here,"
ran like a torpedo, bathroom door slamming behind her.
There I was , facing death squad marksman, Auntie Fran!
Great patience this woman had,
I can’t even imagine how I would react ?
She said with a beet red face,
1. You will apologize to her, Mrs. Whatever
(killer of Uncle Bill)
2. You will apologize to me for being so rude.
3. You will stay out of my sight for at least one hour.
I did what I was told, just Happy to be Alive!
Of course, when word got back to my mother,
it was a different story!
The screaming ride home and punishment for a week- a grounding.
Michelle and I are full grown women now.
We look upon that day with rolled eyes and a groan.
Two little girls uncontrollable laughter
the final good bye to our
Uncle Bill.
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