4 YEARS AGO TODAY

FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY
MY MOTHER DIED .

BERNICE GREENBERG
AKA
BONNIE KANNER
AKA
BERNICE GLUCKMAN
AKA
MOM

IT WAS A SUNDAY
WE KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO DIE ANY DAY
MY UNCLES AND MY SISTER SHELLY WERE ALL STAYING WITH ME AT THE TIME; WAITING IN QUIET AGONY.

MY SISTER WOULDNT LEAVE MY MOTHERS HOSPITAL ROOM
FOR DAYS SHE STAYED THERE AS SHE WATCHED HER SLIP FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM THE WORLD

MY UNCLES INSISTED ON TAKING SHELLY TO HAVE A PROPER MEAL THAT SUNDAY
THAT BRIEF MOMENT AWAY IS WHEN MY MOTHER PASSED

I WAS LAYING ON MY COUCH
EATING LEFTOVER BIRTHDAY CAKE FROM RYAN SNYDERS party the day before( HE HAD TURNED 20)
IT WAS A SUNDAY
SEX AND THE CITY WAS ON HBO
AND SHELLY SAID "MOM PASSED, WE HAVE TO GO"

WE RUSHED BACK TO SAY GOODBYE
IT WAS HARD TO DO
I WAS NUMB, AND TOUCHED HER FOOT

EVERYONE LEFT TO GO HOME
AND I STAYED IN THE PARKING LOT
IN THE COLD
AND COULDNT LEAVE
I SPENT HOURS ALONE IN THE PARKING LOT
KNOWING WHEN I LEFT IT WOULD BE REAL

MARCUS SCHENKENBERG CALLED ME
WE HADNT SPOKE IN MONTHS,MAYBE EVEN YEARS
TO ASK ME MY OPINION, RANDOMLY ABOUT DOING "THE SURREAL LIFE"
I TOLD HIM "MY MOM JUST DIED...I CANT SPEAK..CALL ME LATER.."
AND IT SEEMED VERY FITTING THAT MY WORK WOULD SNAP ME INTO "REALITY"

I CALLED A CAR AND TOOK THE RIDE BACK HOME
A DAY LATER WAS HER FUNERAL
HALLOWEEN FOR ME IS A SAD DAY
VERY SAD


REST IN PEACE MOM
WE ALL MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU

YOUR SON

JASON