Tight socks, Music, and Tranquility fountains revisited

Another gloomy day in Des Moines. The last couple of days have been sunny but I still think Des Moines is approaching a record for overcast, cloudy,gloomy days. It has been an intense week as I've been putting something together for a possible story on Kevin. I have been rehashing alot of unpleasant events of the past year and a half and so decided today I would finish my thoughts from a previous blog. As a matter of fact I was looking for photos of Kevin and came across one where he had socks on that seemed too big and were loose and falling off him. I laughed to myself. Apparently somewhere along the line he must have decided he liked his socks smooth and tight to his feet. Of course he was much older when I sat next to him on his bed and so had that vivid memory. A memory because it is so different from my practice of pulling my sock out beyond my toes and then folding the sock over a little so it will stay loose when I put my shoe on. Last Saturday afternoon I thought of Kevin so often because my sock was too tight in my shoe. I had to keep wiggling my toes to try and loosen the sock around it! The picture of Kevin with his oversized socks was an early picture of him. So why this particular memory has made such an impression and stayed with me so long, I don't know, but it tickles me.

My tranquility fountain has been another intense memory. We sat there on my couch and he put it together for me, my Christmas present as I mentioned. I've seen others since then, some more elaborate, but this one was very simple and perfect to my liking. Just sort of like a monolith with a pool of water at the base. So many of my things have been packed away because of all of my moves recently. As soon as I think I'm going to be in one spot for awhile I'll unpack it and set it up.

Kevin listened to all kinds of music. He grew up with "Hair", "Jesus Christ Superstar" and even Peter, Paul and Mary. When he was still so little and learning to talk I remember him asking me to play "Elvira" by the Oakridge Boys and Heart Rock Roll by Hughie Lewis and the News. Of course the song tittle was The Heart of Rock and Roll but at that time that was all that Kevin could say; Heart, Rock,Roll. A more recent memory concerning music is when I asked Kevin to make a Peter,Paul, and Mary tape for me. I think he had just purchased a new CD. Well he did tape it for me along with some heavy metal interspersed between soothing and melodic P.P.and M.! That was an experience. Of course I started him out on Peter,Paul and Mommy and actually I was amazed the other day at Borders to find out it's still in print.(Kevin and I use to go to Borders frequently) Well is there a person alive who doesn't like music? Kevin had a guitar too. Music was so important to him.

I was asked what Kevin was like the other day. How can even a mother put into a few brief sentences what her son was like. I only know him as my son, as perhaps I've said before, but I'm trying to look at him in a more objective way now,as people are asking me about him, if that's at all possible. It's hard to put so much into words. I guess it's easier to talk about a memory and perhaps this will shed one more little light on him and who he was. One of many little lights I hope. Kevin loved to read. He loved music He was an artist. That says reams but doesn't come close to telling the whole story. Especially about tight socks!!!