She was probably the best of them. She certainly knew the key was to enjoy life. She was the black sheep, and I loved her best. She was my aunt and I lost her Sunday.
In my early years I was exposed to only the maternal side of my family. My Father's family was in California and though we visited annually, it was only two weeks and that doesn't much impress a 5 year old.
But Dorothy always took an interest. She always listened, and she always welcomed me into her home and her life graciously. There was no pity because I was that little bastard that my parents had adopted. No consideration of the dirty little family secret that was me, and no judgement on who I ultimately was as an adult. It was just, Oh! Hi! Come on IN! Would you like something to eat? How about a drink, I could use a drink,how bout you. Just a little one.
Her fried chicken was legendary. Even if she was here I couldn't eat it anymore, way bad for one's heart health, but ooh it was good.
On holidays the entire family would gather at a local park and spend the day. 4th of July, Labor day, we missed nary a one, and you could find her standing in front of the stove first thing in the morning cooking her chicken and packing for the day at the park. The other sisters also brought stuff, but I couldn't tell you what it was, all I wanted was Dorothy's fried chicken and Faye's depression cake. The rest was just filler.
In my childhood she was married to Howard. He died when I was 5, and it's interesting that I remember him as well as I do. He had curly hair like me, drank Falstaff beer, smoked Kools, and always carried a church key in his pocket to open a beer can. He called me Frisbee. They treated me as though I was a kid, nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary, just a kid. It was the best.
Her true love hadn't been able to marry her. He was Catholic and she was not. She found Howard and was happy. After losing him though her luck really shined. She found her true love and he was free. They spent the rest of his life together. I don't recall ever seeing one without the other in over 40 years. They were truly best friends, and they had great stories.
I love you Dorothy. You were tremendous.
Now let's have a drink.