This brings me down. Some of my earliest memories are of my aunt reading me his stories. The first one I remember hearing was "Skeleton," about a man who is freaked out by his skeleton and goes to all kinds of doctors until he finds a special one. The last scene is his wife coming home and seeing the doctor leaving their house and walking in the front door and stepping on her boneless husband. And "Bless Me Father For I Have Sinned," about a priest who literally absolves himself. And "The Utterly Perfect Murder," about the man who exacts revenge on a childhood bully by not touching him. And "The Scythe," about the man who becomes Death and tries to keep his family from dying but realizes he has to take them too. And his books. Who hasn't read and loved "Something Wicked This Way Comes" or "Dandelion Wine," which always makes me cry? I always liked how he was so sentimental and idealistic and nostalgic, while being so unapologetic about it. He writes about the neatest things, things that you know he thought were neat and touching and that he hoped would touch you too. I hope he's okay. |
My buddy is a Chief Boatswain's Mate in a Naval Reserve specwar inshore boat unit that supports SEAL teams. When they were formaed a couple years a go, they all got together to come up with a motto for the unit. His choice "IBU-21: Something Wicked This Way Comes", was approved by the Secretary of the Navy and is now on their emblem. Of course, Ray got it from Bill. "By the pricking in my thumbs....." God bless you, Ray. Stay well. |