Speaking as a sibling of a cancer death (this past year)

People I know. One of them (now) is this retired Army dude, one of those who brag about having their several pensions and stuff, plus want to keep reaping in "working" (double dipping), collecting a working check plus retirement.

So this fellow, skinny, looking like Tut, is working, meaning, getting two or three paychecks, getting off work around 2 P.M.

But before you get a wrong idea, his Army job was in writing manuals, a high level job. AND, he's fairly stuck up. Lots of times he is "inscrutable." Will only talk to some people.

So, he smokes heavily, as most military dudes do. AND about 2 weeks ago, he sidled up next to me and was talking in a very hoarse, soft voice. I asked what was going on, flu or laryngitis or what. He said it was nothing.


It wasn't until tonight that somebody told several of us that he has cancer and is undergoing chemo. She said his wife says she likes his socializing because it means he hasn't lost his spirit. She said his throat (on the outside) is totally burned.


By the way, he is smoking non-stop. He approached me, shaking hands, and wishing New Years, and last Friday spent 45 minutes listening to me, but he hasn't told me he is sick and dying.

People ought to tell people those things. Now that I know, I'll tell him what I like and what I didn't like about what we knew about each other.