Special day

Today is Danny's birthday. He would have been 54.

I asked to be off work today just because of that.

You know, there are still many days when I half-expect him to walk through the front door after work, or be sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. There are still days when I see something new, and think what I'd tell him about that and ask if he's seen it. When I think about cooking out, I remember that he's not here to make sure I have enough hickory cut to go in the cooker.

I never take Sunday drives out back country roads anymore.

I don't go foraging for elderberries in the fall or poke salad in the spring.

I don't even have a regular garden anymore.