I just learned a few minutes ago that my brother Steve – who has been in a Seattle hospital for over a week – has taken a turn for the worse. And suddenly, nothing matters quite as much as being there with him. I am actually a little bit stunned that I feel so strongly about this. Flying to Seattle means missing two live morning shows, a Kenosha Pops band concert, a Racine Concert band rehearsal, a Racine Symphony rehearsal, and several voice lessons. . . but somehow my honest reaction to all that is Who The Heck Cares?!?!? This is my brother we’re talking about. Talk about an Open & Shut Case.
I am so glad to have Kathy here. She’s the one who first of all completely agreed that I should go . . . and then hopped aboard the computer to find me a plane ticket. Kathy’s sister Polly graciously agreed to take me to the airport in Milwaukee, no matter what time I needed to be driven there. And everyone I’ve thus far talked to about my upcoming absence has been so supportive – including the president of the Racine Symphony board and my boss at the radio station. And it’s astounding how quickly Facebook friends begin gathering around with words of encouragement. All this makes me feel like I am not making this trip by myself at all.
In a weird sort of way, part of what is fueling my need to see Steve is that earlier tonight he and I had our very first phone conversation since he first went into the hospital – – -and although he sounded weak in some ways, he was also the same old Steve to an amazing extent. And just hearing his voice again made me want to be there with him. And as uncharacteristic as it is for me to be shedding important obligations in favor of sitting at someone’s bedside, this feels like one of the easiest decisions I ever made.
Of course, if the RSO still allows me to sing on their concert Saturday – a big “if” since I’ll be missing at least one of the two rehearsals – I will be walking on to that stage with my heart back in Seattle and my voice probably sounding like two cases of laryngitis on top of a really bad cold, thanks to the Red Eye return flight I’ll be taking. But when I do the math, the answer remains undeniable: I need to be in Seattle. Now.
pictured above: this is actually my nephew Kaj, on the balcony of Decorah’s newest ice cream parlor, the Sugar Bowl. It’s a cute picture, of course, but I also like it because in Kaj’s adorable face I see some hints of what my brother Steve looked like when he was kaj’s age.