Connections: Prudy/DeAnn/Lora Jo

Before I finally decided to join Prudy and DeAnn on the pilgrimage to Dave's funeral, I decided not to because they had decided to just go to the viewing and then come back home. I thought that was outrageous to travel that far for a viewing so I reneged. Prudy called me and insisted I go, which flattered me, and I told her I would go if we stayed for the funeral. DeAnn's husband couldn't go if we did, but Prudy and her husband Gary, DeAnn and myself ended up being the final pilgrims. It was a pilgrimage. I hadn't really talked to DeAnn for years because of her stubborn political stance, and mine. I don't have too much respect for the extreme political right wing because my understanding is that they don't actually try to gather information from all sides of the issues and they never change their minds, in the name of religious principles. I don't trust people who never change their minds.

So I was skeptical and worried that it would be a frustrating 12 hour political debate. It wasn't. In fact we didn't talk politics until the last hour or so when we had exhausted every other topic. And then it was sane. And I loved DeAnn for it.

I picked up DeAnn at her home and we drove to Prudy's to spend the night. DeAnn and I, who had shared the same room in college, talked all the way to Prudy's and almost all night. Then the four of us talked all twelve hours to Royal City, Washington and made it there in time for the viewing, which was ghastly. Dave had had lap band surgery, gastric bypass and pancreatic cancer. What was in the casket was a mere crumb of what he was as a living person. But it was very interesting to meet all of Lora's children as adults and get to know them a bit.

We didn't think we would get a chance to talk to Lora much, but the next morning she actually abandon her whole family and went to breakfast with us. It was a four hour breakfast at McDonald's and it was the highlight of the experience. Maybe one of the highlights of my life.