Friday, November 22, 2013

50 Years ago today

I was 5 years old.
Mom and Dad must have been at work.
My kindergarten was 3 houses down from our house.
Somehow I ended up with Mrs. Kuethe.
She was inconsolable that day, that day JFK was gunned down,
in the height of his perfection,
not a cloud in the sky.

I was 5.
What did I know of consoling the inconsolable?
It turns out, plenty.
I sat there, catching tears, holding her shaking trembling, wet hand.
She clasped my tiny hand in hers and gave me her half toothless grin,
struggling to smile until a wave of grief knocked her over again.

I was jealous of JFK's daughter, living that perfect lifestyle by
what we saw in the media,
we are about the same age.
That day it all changed.
I was relieved my father was never gunned down in the streets.

This painting I have posted twice,
once more for JFK,
a truly great man,
and his family that remain,
may they have peace this day.

 

 
What she was watching on the TV.
 

 

1 comment:

  1. Was checking my posts and I love this one. Love Mrs. Kuethe. I watched her for hours on end, safe in her home. She would nod off in her recliner. I had my seat on the couch nect to Herman. Was going to watch the Cronkite clip again. Guess they yanked it back. Sorry to miss seeing it again, a profound memory so tightly bound with the collective grief of everyone around me. I was 5. Walter Cronkite cried. Nobody cried out loud. Everybody was crying. Was surprised Scott P. did not play that clip of our beloved second father, Walter. Every night the family watched him. I do try to promote some of CBS's shows like NCIS and NCIS LA. This action by CBS will not affect my love of those shows.

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