Unfortunately, this was the start of the end. I am simply to sad to create suspense or to worry about spoilers.

May 11, 1941,

Nat was angry because Stretch didn’t come home.  However, he’s sick in the hospital and can’t help that.  Ed K. came up and gave me a driving lesson and we picked up Nat at her home and the three of us went to Hartford to see the stage show “Crazy with the Heat.”  We paid our own way but it was fun.  Mom says Nat’s brother was up.  I always thought he went golfing on Sunday.

This is gonna hurt…

May 17, 1941,

I didn’t expect to see anyone tonight so when Emmy came up in the afternoon-in her brother-in-law’s 1941 hydromatic shift Oldsmobile, I went to Hartford with her.  We saw Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra and “Country Fair.”  We ate at the Eldewise Chalet.  Mom told me Stretch was in a Boston hospital.

I’d be a little bit interested in this hydromatic if I didn’t already know that things were going bad to worse.

May 18, 1941,

After church I went to see Nat but she was in Boston.  She came up with bad news and a heartache.  Stretch developed a mastoid and the poison went into his system.  He didn’t recognize her and she couldn’t bear to see him or listen to his raving.  We went to see “The Great Lie” and “Knockout” but she couldn’t forget. 

What a frightening experience this must have been.

Before I get to the inevitable, I wish to share memories of Stretch. Any procrastination is worth it at this point.

A post highlighting him and the love he and Nat shared:

https://wordpress.com/post/transcribingmemory.com/14888

A holiday post. Special people are the people you spend the holidays with.

https://wordpress.com/post/transcribingmemory.com/15459

A post of Stretch being there when it counted.

https://wordpress.com/post/transcribingmemory.com/15506

Stanley was there for Ed’s and Jake’s goodbyes. He would be leaving them, too.

https://wordpress.com/post/transcribingmemory.com/15695