Uncle John

My mom has a sweet Uncle John. He's younger than her but still her uncle. She and he had a close relationship, and I always enjoyed being around him. I spoke to him on the phone a few hours before my mom died, and I told him she would be coming home with me on hospice care. A few short hours later, she died. He came to her viewing, and we caught up a little. After her funeral, he hugged me and wept in my arms.. He mentioned again how they were close. It was gut wrenching to see him so sad. Then tonight the phone rang. It was Uncle John. The first thing he said was how sorry he was for being so broken up at her funeral.  I assured him it was perfectly okay and understandable, and it was hard losing her. He apologized again and said he had never cried at a funeral. This is a man, who has outlived his parents and 5 siblings, and this was the first funeral he had ever cried at. He then told me how sweet and special her service was. He asked me how I was doing, and I told him I was keeping busy, and I knew it would get easier; but it was very hard. Uncle John told me that he and mom didn't see each other much, but they talked on the phone often. He asked me about Neil, and I told him what a wonderful person he is. John said he knew that from my mom, and that he knew my family was very special from talking with her. I told him that she loved us so very much and was so proud of her grand kids. I then told him I had been going through her things and asked him if there was anything he might want. He said if I ever came across anything that belonged to his brother, he might like to have it. I explained that I was pretty sure there were momentos of his brother who had died in WW11 when John was either very young or not yet born. I told him my mamaw, his sister, was very sentimental as was my mom as am I; and that we keep everything. He chuckled and said "That's a good thing." He mentioned how he would like to spend more time with us. I smiled as I agreed, we bid our farewells and hung up. I think I know where one of our road trips might be this summer.