Cancer Stick or Gelato?

Disclaimer: Blog entry not suitable for children or my mother. Not Rated but does include scene of adult behavior truly inappropriate for adults and children. Please do not shake your finger at me, I am too far away to see it!

I bought a pack of cigarettes today. It was that or gelato. I know, bizarre, but I've been reflecting on it for quiet a while now and I still don't have an answer, so as my friend Lizzi is fond of saying these days, "it is what it is."

The package is small and contains 10 cancer sticks. Right under the Marlboro name BIG BOLD print reads: "Il Fume Uccide," don't need to know Italian to know what that means! When you open the flap to expose the cigs, very little font reads, "Grazie per aver scelto Marlboro. Con passione ti offriamo sempre il nostro meglio." ("Thanks for having chosen Marlboro. With passion we offer always our best to you.") Well that was awfully nice of them.

The day started out very well:
4:30 am Up making coffee and with my biscotti in hand, I go to the office.
5:00 am video SKYPE with Mike's niece, for the first time, a great treat since it's been well over 2 years since we've seen one another.
5:30 SKYPE with cousin, Nora, for a long, over do, catch-up
6:00 Type up latest blog entry from day before
7:00 Back home for 2nd cup and yogurt with granola

7-10 Worked on organizing research for book, got caught reading condolence emails and stories from strangers from around the world, they wanted to share their stories of HD with Mike's family and express their sympathy. I'm not supposed to be actually reading the stuff, I'm just trying to organize, but like I said, I got caught, and once ensnared, I just couldn't get out.

10 I am washed out and it's time for a walk. I decide it's also time to start listening to the interview tapes I had made with Mike's family for the book back in 2005. I started with Protus (Mike's adopted brother from Africa or the man who brought Babu down from the mountain.) Starting with Protus is a safe bet, because he is a gentle man, with a kind sense of humor.

10-11:30 Protus tells me all about climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and how the O'Briens became his American family. The story was full of laughs and I was more light-hearted when I returned from my journey.

11:30-noon Made lunch: roasted eggplant, zucchini, and tomato sandwich, with melted cheese of course!

Noon-3 I sit in my apartment with Tip (Mike's youngest brother Chris), regaling me about his parties and adventures with Mike, leaving me speechless about Di's noble fight, debating me about Ali's future treatment, and bringing me to tears about the hope, or lack there of, for curing HD within our lifetime. I remember conducting this interview/conversation with Tip back in August 2005, it involved a lot of beer and way too many cigarettes. Is it any wonder I chose the cigarettes, perhaps a good stiff drink would have been a better choice?

There's no doubt in my mind that the book will be great, and that is not my cockiness talking. Michael left a lot of great writing: personal statements on applications to the CIA and State Dept., journals from travels around the world, and letters his mom and dad had written throughout the years. It is my plan to weave these writings into the story, as if he's writing the book with me, as we had talked of doing so many times.

The interviews with family members, though incomplete, are painfully honest, to a degree I don't think they were ever able to be with each other in real life. The time, the opportunity, and the circumstance never allowed for it.

The book will be great, but the journey may be hell. I have had enough with 2 cigs; I'm going now to the office manager of my apartment to give him the pack. I'm going to get my gelato instead.