0 oh my family

my parents were in mexico when richard nixon resigned. my father was in mexico again when he died. as a result, in my family, we've this not entirely articulated but fervently held belief that our going to certain places makes certain things (ie. DISASTERS) come to be.

joe's dead day looms at the end of this month. we are all (by which i guess i mean my parents, my aunt and i- for we are suddenly "the grown-ups") apparently a bit shaken by the prospect but more so by the fact that, as she did the year that joe died, my aunt is going to be in puerto rico.

there is the unspoken worry that when she goes back, it will bring about family death again. unspoken because to speak it would be superstitious and god-fearing people aren't supposed to be superstitious. and so we just make veiled, repeated references to the resignation and death of richard nixon and we pray for burvil and ready ourselves.

this afternoon, my mother spoke to the estate lawyer and my father and i reviewed the terms of the will. this evening my aunt, knowing nothing of that, sent this:

seriously. is it any wonder that i am macabre?