veering right

As my husband and I were driving across the country from our home in California to our summer cottage in Michigan, we received word that our theatre professor and acting teacher, John David Lutz had been placed on hospice care in his home.  His wife Kathy assured us that it wasn’t because death was imminent, but merely because his care had become more complicated.  Hospice would allow for supplies like hospital beds and oxygen to be provided gratis, and there would be an aide coming in a few times a week to help with his personal care and give Kathy a respite outside the house. 

Dave and I had not planned Evansville, Indiana as part of itinerary…our route this year was through Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa.  Our hotel reservations were made as far as Omaha.  But as we pondered the situation, I turned to Dave and said, “We could veer right after Omaha and head south and east to Evansville.  My husband, who always likes to spend less time on the road, immediately perked up at the idea of extending this journey for a few days.  

We arrived in Indiana and found John on oxygen, diminished, but well enough to go out to lunch.  After the meal we went back to their condo that looks out over the Ohio River and watched the barges go by.  John dozed. Kathy, Dave and I conversed quietly, always aware that John might be playing possum and listening to everything we said.  His son Jeffrey came home from work and joined the conversation.  Old stories started flowing.  John woke up and we talked about Dave’s less than stellar college career.  One of John’s favorite stories about Dave was of John confronting him when Dave received a D in Stagecraft.  I turned to John and asked what Dave’s response had been to John’s scolding.  Without missing a beat, John piped up with Dave’s words and a shrug: “It’s passing, isn’t it?”  Such a lovely moment of lucidity. Kathy turned to Jeffrey and said, “Long term memories are still there.” 

As we were preparing to go back down to Evansville for another visit this week, we received word that John had taken a turn for the worse, and then that he had passed away.  The funeral would be within the time that we were in town.  David would speak, I would read a poem or two:  some words from the immortal bard, whose play Macbeth John and I had acted in when I was a college student and he my acting prof.  In a painful situation, I still could see God’s hand on the timing of our visit….sorry to have missed John, but so grateful that in June we followed our inclination to “veer right”. 

Love, Liz

Photo of myself and John in Macbeth