The Good Doctor

This is the fourth time I light a candle on the mantel this year.  I really don't like it.  Why does it keep happening?

Dr Jack is my stepfather-in-law.  We were two people from opposite sides of the world, with an age difference of 42 years, connected by two marriages.  

Before we moved from Hong Kong to the US to live, my only encounters with Dr Jack were short visits in summer and major holidays.  I might have visited him and Mom a dozen times?  When we decided to move to the US, he and Mom were kind enough to let us stay with them as we figured out where we wanted to settle down.  Can't call it uneventful, but we definitely got to know each other much better after having lived together for three and a half months.

Visits with Dr Jack were always marked by certain phenomena:

#1  He followed you around the house.  "What are you doing?  You need something?  What do you need?  What are you looking for?"  He always wanted to know.  As the man of the house, he was determined to make sure that everything was ok.

#2  Dr Jack would disappear from the house suddenly and reappear like a ninja.  Despite the fact that the house was stuffed full with stuff, and the refrigerators were oozing food, out of his concern that we might want something and they ran out, he would keep making trips to stores for refills.  

#3  Different tasty breakfast specials every day!  Pancakes, waffles, pastries, eggs . . .   Everything in abundant supply.  On the day before we left, we could bet on him making his famous cherry muffins.  He knew those were my favorites.  "Will you want to take some on the road with you?  We have some leftover." he whispered in my ear.  Unfortunately, the muffins almost never lasted till the next day.  

The ultimate good memory of Dr Jack was our trip to Grand Cayman.  He and Mom used to go there every year.  They expressed a desire to go visit one more time.  Mike and I thought we would be the chaperones to make it happen.  At the age of 87, Dr Jack went snorkeling in the ocean with us a couple times.  He was so happy and so proud.  The big smile on his face was priceless.  Once again, he had his fruit punch on the beach.  I am forever glad that we went.  

Dr Jack had his 93rd birthday in June.  He was a well known, well respected doctor in his community.  He was the great grandfather of twelve children.  And most of all, he had a wife who he loved that loves him tremendously.  He was pretty healthy despite his senior age.  We always said to him that maybe he would live to be one hundred.  "I have lived a good, long, happy life.  I'd love to live longer if I can, but even if not, I really have no regrets.  I am not afraid of dying. "  

When we went to see them in the past, Dr Jack would always stay up to wait for us.  This time we go, however, we will not be greeted by him.  No more big hugs and kisses from my favorite doctor.  No more cherry muffins.  All we will get to do this time, is to say our last goodbye.