Death Surrounds Me

Yesterday, I finished reading A Death In The Family, by James Agee.

Deeply emotional book.

Today I started The Devil's Harvest, by Jessica Garrison. A non-fiction book about a killer who stalked the California farm country for decades, killing many, many people. He focused primarily on migrant workers because he knew the cops were less likely to care about those deaths. Which proved to be true.

I am a man of many books. I am also a man of many bookmarks. My favorite of which features pictures of the Kancamagus Highway. One side is a picture of a winding road surrounded by trees - absolutely fenced in by trees - in the fall. Gorgeous colors. A lonely road. No traffic.

I am talking high quality photos here - high gloss, very clear. The other side is a shot looking across a lake at Mt. Chocorua.

This bookmark is so beautiful that I bought an extra one and thumbtacked it to the wall.

I have no idea where I got this bookmark or when. I only know I have had it for many years.

I was admiring it earlier this week and decided I needed to explore the website of the guy who makes these. His name and info is at the bottom of the bookmark on the Chocorua side.

Chuck Theodore.

I pumped his name into the internet machine and found out.........................he is dead.

This bummed me out. Not 100% sure why.

He died at his home in Lincoln, NH on October 15, 2017. He was 68 years old.

I guess it hit me because I was admiring and have admired the beauty he created for many years. This bookmark is my go-to bookmark. I was picturing a living, breathing artist doing what he loved to do, for a living. I wanted to buy 100 of his bookmarks.

Instead I stumbled upon his obituary.

Lately I am surrounded by death.

I must push it away.