Epitaph

I got a text message from my Dad that Nichi’s “tombstone” at the ossuary, where Nichi's ashes lie, now has his name inscripted on it. Unfortunately the silver letters we waited for for around three months were kind of anti-climactic because, as my Dad reported it, they misspelled Nichi’s name.

They skipped the “h.”

I checked it out tonight before going home; it really didn’t have the “h” on “Nichole.”

The text goes:

Joseph Nicole L. Delgado
“Nichi”
May 12, 1994 July 24, 2007

I wasn’t able to take a picture of it. It was pretty much dark at the ossuary. Still, there is something distressing about seeing your family’s name, especially that of your youngest brother, on a lot for the dead.

It kind of seals the deal. That he really is the one interred there. And reality bites as if it never does on a daily basis.

If I were to add an epitaph on Nichi’s new pad’s façade, I’ll write:

“Here lie the remains of the young man who made a lot of people happy."

Because that is reality. The non-biting realty.







****Late post: Here's Nichi's silver label: