REVENANT

January 22, 2010

Revenant
\’re-ve-‘nän\ n: one that returns after death or a long absence *

I remember a lot of things about my grandfather. I remember his white hair and the way it used to stand up wistfully as though it were just roused from a deep sleep. I remember his ability to completely lose himself with the races, or the way he used to call my grandmother “Mum” in a way that made you chuckle or want to yell for Nana Flo to answer him just so he’d stop repeating himself. I remember his love for the islands and how he yearned to write his history down for others to read. I fondly reminisce of the way he used to smile at me when I said something that awed him or the way he got frustrated when people were still over even though it was his bedtime.
Right after he passed, I often wanted him to be a revenant; sitting in the living room in Turtle Cove watching the races welcoming me as my wearied soul entered the house, accompanying his wife of what would have been 58 years to my college graduation, reading my latest piece or eventually sending me his.
However, perhaps when we lose someone we love, it’s not their literal presence we need, it is only a reminder in the simplest of places that everything will be irie.

* letter “e” is upside down producing sound of “uh”