August 2004. Almost three years ago. These pictures show me how full our life was. Even though we would fly home and leave Aaron behind a few days after these pictures were taken. our family was full. Patrick is much taller now. Cathy smiles above the pain. Her stride is less confident. I'm less sure. We are no less blessed.
Last night Patrick and I shopped for clothes fitting of a 16 year old bank employee; dress pants, shirts, a couple of ties. He's got good taste in clothes, always has. When Patrick was in grade school and middle school, he would lay his clothes out on the floor of his room making sure the shirt, pants, and hat matched---"Fred" he called the finished product. Aaron didn't lay his clothes out, but he did leave everything on the floor. Patrick selected his clothes from the drawer and closet hangers. Aaron picked his up off the floor or from a pile on his bed.
Aaron's life at MBA in OR exposed him to West Coast style. Many of his fellow students were from CO, CA, TX, OR, and WA. Styles move from the coasts to the midwest I'm told. The shirt Aaron is wearing in these pictures hangs in his closet tonight. Yesterday Patrick and I saw the same style shirt on the racks in Aeropostle (or something like that--a teenager store). Many of Aaron's shirts were for sale. We laughed at what Aaron would say "Ahhh, that's my look! That's stupid.... I'm not wearing that anymore".
Pullling the shirt off of the hanger in the store, I could almost see Aaron's shoulders rounding out the sleeves. August '04, Aaron was three months past 17. He was a little thin-notice he's holding his pants with one hand, but healthy, on this day. Nine months later, Aaron was heavier. I suspect he had outgrown this shirt by the end.
When a person dies, the clothes they wear in photos of their last days eventually go out of style and years later the last images are relatively odd compared to current standards. The person is clearly lost in the past. In Aaron's case, his style appears to be coming into its own without him.
Aaron's clothes are all washed, folded, hung up, and put away. They're not where they should be. Aaron's clothes belong on the floor.
Sunday is Aaron's birthday. The 20th birthday is coming without Aaron. I wonder if clothes wonder where their owner went?
Love you Air Bear. You'd be impressed with your brother. He wore your tie last week.
Dad
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