The Seventh Juliet

Juliet was the seventh. Her family had a thing about the name. She kept a portrait of the first. That one came from the old country. The Seventh named her daughter Juliet. The next generation had one, too. That makes nine. There are only two who are still alive.

Juliet died this week after some riff-raff in a primer-scarred Toyota drove by in a mall parking lot, grabbed her purse and dragged her for several feet. She was 74. She was a volunteer. The purse-snatcher is just a shadow.

She had cared for her husband for years. He died from cancer two months ago.

I met Juliet’s family this morning, including the eighth and ninth. The came to town to bury the seventh.

I’ve seen enough in my short career to be numb to most things. Death doesn’t bother me too much anymore. So, I can’t quite explain why I felt a little sad when I left my meeting with the family. But I did and I guess I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t.

I did some looking around when I got back to my desk. As it turns out..Juliet means “youthful” or in some cases “soft-haired.” I’m sure there is something to say about either of those descriptions. But I don’t know what it is.

No real point here…just wanted to get it off my chest.

A few other notes here…today is Su’s birthday. Log on and give her some youthful wishes.

In just a couple of hours I’ll be headed out to Clemson to see Eddie from Ohio. I wonder how they’ll fit in with the Limp Bizkit and kid Rock crowd? Or maybe I’m just so old and out of touch that I don’t realize that some of the best music critics are college students and I’m just seom old fogey music-elitist.

Now, here’s something you don’t hear a guy say very often…I have to go and put on my make-up. Clinique #3 “Stay Beige.”