When Burt died, our aide and I checked for a pulse. I took the mirror, thanks to my slight acquaitance with Shakespeare to see if he was breathing. Then, I called his GCP at WCM Center on Aging. I wanted EMTs from a familiar place rather than 911 to tend to the final pronouncement.
It was 11:29am, Tuesday, Feb 25, 2025.
They came, and brought in the city resources who surround a death. We had waves of uniforms in the apartment and our halls.
When the first shift of police were ready to leave as 5pm approached, the police officers gave me the Medical Examiner’s number. I called my friend S who offered to call and ‘yell, in a nice way’ at the M.E.
If anyone could be nice, I knew it would be S, one of those sweet people we are lucky to have in our lives. She called me back just as the young cop got his call to release Burt’s body. I called Kritl Funeral Home. Their men arrived around 7:30 that evening.
I was sorry to let him go, even as I was relieved to deliver him to his final destination, as it were. As sorry as I was also relieved that his journey was over.
this is our life 