Gone But Still With Us

Today is one of those anniversaries you wish were not so. On March 5th 2006, my younger brother, Terry, died from a massive heart attack. He was 54: two years younger than me.

I’m not religious, I don’t believe in heaven or hell, but if I did, I’d say they’re opposite ends of the same yardstick and right here with the living. Where God is concerned, there’s no debate. If you believe, then there is a God.

And yet, momentous things seem to happen around the anniversary of his death. On the actual day he died, I fell off a truck and bust my knee. I still suffer with it today.

Four years ago, after a suspected heart attack, I had to have catheter scan, a worrying procedure when you don’t know what to expect. The scan took place on the anniversary of his death.

And yesterday, of course, I had a polyp removed from the back of my throat… except that I didn’t. Some weeks ago, the hospital sent me an appointment letter in which it said I could eat and drink normally, so I did. When I got there yesterday, I was told I should have fasted from midnight. After some debate they decided they couldn’t risk it, so it didn’t happen. They were red-faced and apologetic, and we’ve now been rescheduled for next Tuesday.

There’s one other event I can add to this period around the anniversary of my brother’s death. The Filey Connection, the very first and best selling STAC Mystery, was released on March 2nd, 2012.

Naturally, Crooked Cat will insist that it simply slotted into their publishing schedules, but it’s eerie nonetheless. Filey, Scarborough and Bridlington were my brother’s favourite seaside places.