an amusing aside

There isn't much to write about these days. This isn't recent but it happened a few months ago. It was back when it was still warm. The sun had just set and the crows began to fill the skies and the sun painted the city in sillouhette. I had gone to a play in the early afternoon and then drank a bottle of wine with a friend in the park before I met up with my uncle.

I was most excited.

I was perfectly relaxed, not quite drunk but beyond buzzed, though it would make the conversations roll of my tongue like lies did politicians, so I was confident. This would be great, I knew it. I hadn't seen my uncle in some years, he understood, he knew how things could be with family and how hard it was to see one another even when you were in the same city. Thats the beauty of family though, your love lasts across immeasurable distance, time, and continues after life closes the casket.

So I met up with my uncle. It was in a nice little restraunt, it was quiet, which I liked, though perhaps a little more ambient would be nice. It can be awkward when meeting up with an old relative regardless of how fond you were of him. Having a few drinks helped to a degree, but still, a little music would be nice, I thought.

We were sitting in the corner, the candle light was dancing on his hands as he looked at the menu.

I'll have Meatballs, he said.
Just meatballs?
Yes.
You just want a plate of meatballs. Okay, fine, blast, have your meatballs, I said.

The waitress came over.

He'll have meatballs.

I looked down, took my time, felt the leather binding of the menu in my grip.

I'll have a bottle of your house white. What type is that again? Okay, perfect. And, lets see - eyes skimming - oh yes, here, i'll have the lamb shank please. Thanks.

So, there we were, my uncle and I, sitting. He was looking blankly across the table in great anticipation of his meatballs. He always had loved meatballs, I fondly remembered, letting a small smile slip out the corner of my mouth.

Then he slowly rose up for a moment, straightened his spine, leant over and said:
I have pancreatic cancer.