ENG 273 FD#1: Forgetting To Remember You

Kristine Asato

September 16, 2010

FD#1

Forgetting to Remember You

I saw another person whose name I couldn’t remember, but whose face I hadn’t forgotten.  [THESIS] We were all here for the same reason, to remember.  [THESIS] The room probably surpassed the fire codes maximum capacity, but no one was in a rush to leave anytime soon.  I found a place next to my brother against the wall; there were no seats exposed.  I took the program and saw my uncle’s face smiling back at me.  His face had grown slender from the cancer that had invaded. I was probably 12 when I last saw my uncle, over a decade ago; I thought he had more time.

There were no other colors in the room, just different tints of black and white.  Sort of like an old picture film, and probably just as gloomy.  We were gathered here today to remember.  It wasn’t just my uncle, we gathered to remember all the people we had forgotten existed over the years. 

I closed my eyes, and went back and revisited my church, where we first met my uncle.  I vaguely remember how he would take his place at the head of the entire sermon.  I could hear his voice, and I remembered.  So alive and so filled with such kindness, he could probably turn you Christian with just one song.  It mad me believe in God, and all his powers.  As I opened my eyes, everyone slowly stood up, as requested by the man on the microphone.  I was back in my black and white picture film.  Awaken from the dead was his voice completely naïve to any cancer, sounding on the speakers.  It wrapped the entire sermon in a holy embrace, and I could feel the tears confine me.  The people in their black attire raised their hands high.  It was as if their voices would be carried straight into the heavens.   How eerie it was to have the past put right in front of me, almost forcing me to remember everything I had forgotten. 

Now the only sound was the pastor’s voice marked with a recognizable bravado, similar to Martin Luther King Jr.  The pastor read a passage, probably from the bible or maybe he made it up.  I didn’t go to church enough to be able to tell the difference anymore.  Going on with the accustomed, loving father and husband, he was a man of God whose time had come to be with the Lord.  I knew all to well the jargon that would be made to comfort the loss of this man.  17 years ago, the same monologue was made for my father.  I don’t remember my father, and I regret not remembering my Uncle.

The service came to an end with the walk down the isle to give condolences to the family.  It was here I embraced my aunty whose husband she had lost, and my friend who was now without his father.  The touch mingled our tears as she cried for the time she spent, and I cried for the time I had lost.  I gave them a small pat on the back as my apology for missing out on their lives.  It was after the procession that I saw an old childhood friend.  We were neighbors until we were 15.  We had gone to the same middle school and adjacent high schools, yet I wondered how we had lost touch.  And I regretted not knowing who these people were anymore. 

My uncle had brought people together in church through his songs, so I’m told.  Yet even after death, he had managed to do it again. By some act of God, all these people were not just here to see my uncle off.  It was how I knew my uncle had gone to a better place. My uncle had brought us all back together.  Bridges were reestablished and phone numbers were exchanged.  There was an affirmation that we had acknowledged each other’s existence, because one day we will cease to.

If I could be measured, by the tears people shed for me when I died I’d hope there’d be enough to fill a cup.  I wondered how many people I knew well enough for them to make a trip out to my funeral.  Technology has made things more accessible for everyone to keep in touch, and I was ashamed at how seldom I took advantage of the new age. I thanked my uncle for reminding me of the people I needed to treasure, people that may need me, and that I may need someday.  I picked up the phone and reacquainted with a close friend I hadn’t seen or talked to in sometime. I realized I didn’t want the next time to be an old picture film. 

Log of Completed Activities
X Aug 24t- Intro to Paper #1. Read the “Guidelines for Paper #1″ by midnight. (Confirmation reply required.)
X  Aug. 25W- Laulima Discussion: Who Am I? Post your response by midnight.
L  Aug 27F- Complete readings for Paper #1 Confirmation reply required.
L  Aug 30M- Set up your blog for class papers.  After you’re done, go to Laulima. In the forum “My Blog Is Ready,” post the URL for your blog and invite classmates to visit and post comments.
L  Sep. 2T- Laulima Discussion: Discuss essays by Ehrlich and Legler.
L  Sep. 7t- Laulima Discussion: Discuss essays by Gilb and Whitehead.
L  Sep. 10F- Review Draft #1 (RD1) due. [50 pts] Read the guidelines. Confirmation reply required.
X  Sep. 13M- RD1 Evaluations due. [50 pts] Read the guidelines. Confirmation reply required.
X  Sep. 16T- Final Draft #1 (FD1) due [100 pts] Read the guidelines. Confirmation reply required.