Last night

I got to see Elle for the first time in 4 days yesterday so the last thing I wanted to do was leave her at home with a sitter last night while I went to Greg Beck's visitation. But I didn't want to miss it, either - even though my red dress I was planning on wearing was in my bag that still hadn't made it from Orlando. So I decided to take Elle with me. She had to go to her first wake sometime . . . and it was easier to talk about death when it was someone that she didn't know. She told me that people didn't really die in this place - it's only on movies (probably something her dad told her when he was watching 300 with her the other night - good one, daddy'o). Needless to say that conversation took a little while . . . she's decided that when she dies she doesn't want to go in the ground under dirt but that she wants to stay 'regular' - even if it means she'll get stinky. She said we can put her in the blue room (you know you are a little paint-happy when your kid identifies rooms in your house by the color on the walls) and read her a book every night. But we got dressed and started our journey . . .

. . . never got there. I followed my googled directions, I asked the 'metro patrol' officer in the entrance of the cemetery, I called the phone number of the place, I drove between the 4600 and 5100 block of Truman like 10 times with Elle in the back seat trying to count all the dead people in the graveyard. I'm really not blind. I'm really not dumb. But it was already 8 by that time and I just wanted to get out of my car. So we headed over to Harry's Country Club in the River Market to see if anyone was over there.

After convincing Elle that we could go to Waldo Pizza some other night, I finally got her to get out of the car. . . but then she gets out and sees the AMC building downtown and decides that she wants to see a movie instead (I have a really bossy kid). But I'm the boss - so we went inside. she was very excited to see the bar . . . she loves sitting on high stools, so she was failed again when I told her we were going outside. Ooooh, but they have a jukebox like Waldo Pizza - she wants to go to Waldo Pizza again.

I go outside and see some red dresses so know I have found the bloggers . . . saw Spyder and XO and MToast and Janet and FileGirl and Dan. Sat next to Dan and Elle was being shy at first . . . but then he offered her french fries. Nothing like some fried, salty veggies to bring my kid out of her shell. She wouldn't stop after that. I have never seen her so animated in front of a group of strangers. Maybe it was the atmosphere ('and if she loves a bar - she loves a bar like her mama') - or maybe it was the Sprite after 8pm - or maybe it was just the people. I think I'll have her start a blog now . . .

Anyway, it was good to see everyone there last night. I didn't know Greg anymore than I know XO or MToast or Spyder . . . but just sitting there on a night that we all said goodbye to someone that was present in our lives - made me realize how connected this little world is. I open my world to anyone that reads this blog and I thank each and every one of you for doing the same. Its very spandex-like . . . as our circles get bigger - it just works harder to keep us together.

After we paid and walked out - Elle still convinced we were on our way to Waldo Pizza - she asked me which one of those people was the dead one. I giggled inside and almost told her that he wasn't there. . . but then realized that he was.

Rest in Peace, Big Guy - give 'em hell.