Day 05 – A picture of one of your favorite memories-Kirk

The photo challenge for the day, I put off until today. For a couple of reasons, one I was terribly busy yesterday, and it was Sunday, I don’t blog on Sunday usually.  Two, today is Memorial Day and my brother Kirk’s birthday

. Kirk’s birthday has always meant good memories, it  usually not only was close to or on Memorial day, it was also close or on the last day of school. Now Memorial day is a time I remember Kirk.

I have two brothers , Kirk 6 years older and Mike 11 years older Kirk is the tall one, I am the girl,which leaves Mike to be the curly haired dude.

Kirk won a KOOL cigarette contest in high school, and the prize was a sailboat, the boat itself was styrofoam, the sail a big green and white KOOL advertisement.  We  lived on a lake so, perfect! Kirk also took up fishing once we moved to Ransom. Instead of just loading up his boat and sailing off and fishing by his lonely, Kirk got me (through Mom and Dad) a tackle box with the same lueres he had (different colors) He would wake me up on random mornings and we would go ‘fishin’ together. I don’t know why he decided to do this, I never asked, I was thrilled to be with him.

Kirk was in a band called The Nice Guys, they were pretty good. They played all over Lubbock, I got to go to the venues that were bar/restaurants, it was so cool to be ‘part’ of the band.  Kirk wrote music, as well as played just about anything you put in his hands. Guitar was his instrument of choice. Kirk was a funny funny guy, he was the personality of the band, sang and told jokes, looked good too. And he was MY brother.  The Nice Guys came to the house and played for my 16th birthday, I was the ONLY from my class that had a party with a live band!! Did I say they were a good band? one that was paid to play? I was sooooo proud.

Kirk was an amazing artist. His sense of humor combined with his gift he was able to create hilarious art. When Kirk’s wife divorced him he dealt with the misery he was going through with expressing himself through his art. He would send letters with his artwork on the outside of the envelopes. I am so glad we did not have cell phones then! Keith had a collage made of some of the favorites.

Kirk was a long tall guy 6’2″ very lean. Size 13 flat feet wearing either cowboy boots or more often track shoes, those black ones with the white stripes.  Tall thin guys always remind me of Kirk.  A close friend of Brian’s, Brent M, immediately stole my heart when I met him, he talked and walked and moved like Kirk, AND he shares the same birthday!

I love my memories of Kirk. The drawings and paintings I have framed or tucked in a folder. The sound of his voice on the tapes of him and his band. Songs of others, that he used to sing. Map colors, his favorite tool to draw cartoons with. The movie Blazing Saddles, his favorite.

. Monica, his daughter. His pride and joy.

Men who resemble him, Tim Robbins, Bon Jovi (I don’t think so, but people used to tell him that, he thought it hilarious), any tall thin man with a smile. I see these reminders as charms from God to put on my  memory bracelet.   I thank God for all the many charms he left me to remember him by.

Kirk left this world almost 23 years ago. I don’t say died, because he still lives in my heart and memories. He lives eternally with our Lord.  Kirk was 32.

Kirk was addicted to alcohol. He was ready to quit, saw the damage it had done, was doing. Kirk never was a drunk, just had to have alcohol to function. It was taking its toll. Kirk would call and talk to me about how frustrated he was with being addicted, the problems it caused. He wanted to quit.  He decided to, cold turkey. 24 hours in, he started D.T’s. Kirk passed out in the driveway, as he and his fiance were going to the  MD. His 6″2′ frame slung his head to the ground. Kirk died 2 days later, 6 weeks after Evan was born, from the head injuries.

I remember sitting in the hospital room with him, holding his hand. We had been told everything was shutting down, and possibly he was brain dead. They were still getting brain response from the area of the brain for thinking process and reasoning, he was not brain dead,yet. I was talking to that part of Kirk, to Kirk who was listening either there or as he was passing to eternity. I was praying. I remembered to Kirk my favorite song that he wrote. Fields of Clover– One verse is ” Some fine day we will all be there walking hand and hand in that field of clover in the distant land”  I told Kirk I so wanted him to stay, so wanted him to meet his newest nephew. I wanted for him to be healed of his struggles. I wanted him to stay and be with his joy, his daughter Monica. Yet, I knew he was looking at that field of clover. I knew what he was so close to was more wonderful than anything I could want for him. I told him we would meet him in that field of clover someday.

A favorite memory is my Kirk, on this memorial day. A favorite memory that reminds me of a future of walking hand in hand in a distant land.