By sabeth

Hey Kids….Wilson turns 79 today! For some reason I can’t upload a new photo of him, but here’s this fabulous drawing by his former squeeze, Sabeth. I love this rendition of Wilson & his little “brace of redheads”! I’ll try to figure out what’s gone haywire, and post some pix of the Birthday Boy later.

I need to update you on how he’s doing, but haven’t had the heart this past month. He nearly died on MY birthday, June22….but managed to stick around for that, and for his own, today. For that I am very grateful. He is having trouble now. We feed him puréed food & thickened water, to make swallowing easier. And safer. Anyone who’s ever eaten a meal with Wilson knows what a travesty this is – I’ve never known ANYONE who chews their food as THOROUGHLY as Wilson! Mealtime is almost the ONLY time he’s quiet! You can imagine how feeding him the past nearly two years has been an exercise in Zen Patience. I’d have the next bite ready for what seems like an ETERNITY, while His Majesty was busy chewing. And chewing. And chewing. Oop! Almost. Nope. Still chewing……

Please send him a message, and I’ll read it to him. I’m heartbroken to say this on his birthday….but the Hospice Dr didn’t really need to tell me he hasn’t much time now. I can see it myself. But we are being CHEERY today. It is not a day to talk about dying….although the virus has us thinking about almost nothing ELSE in these past very short six months…..he’s NOT going on his birthday, although with his love of holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and coincidences, the irony of that would have given him a wicked chuckle.

I’m not having it! I treasure every one of these last days with him. He still reaches towards my face, touches my hair, and pulls my hand to his lips. He also still grouses if I’ve got some comedy special on Netflix for him that he doesn’t find amusing…or a movie he’s already seen just one too many times. I always hunt for something better…though one time I growled “Seriously? You forgot how to tie your shoes, but you’re still a MOVIE CRITIC?” Of course, he stared at me wide-eyed, as if to say “How could it be otherwise?”

How, indeed! Even in his twilight hours, without being able to speak, S.Clay Wilson ALWAYS has something to say.