Day 709
I have Jake’s dog tags now. I’d forgotten he has O- blood. When I read that on the tag, I thought, “I can give him blood if he needs it.”
If I could find him. If he’s alive.
If he is alive, he turned 29 last week.
I put half of Jake’s belongings in storage today. I’ve been driving around with his stuff in my car since I picked it up, and I was vaguely aware that this was odd, that my car looked odd. I was indifferent to what people thought about it, but last night when my husband suggested we drive to VFW steak night together in my car, I had to tell him I had no room for him in my car.
I realized immediately that the full car was acting as my insulation, and that I’d need to do something with the stuff this weekend because I don’t want to push him away. But I really did not want to unpack the car.
In a way it was like having Jake in the car with me.
So today I went to storage to pay the bill and to get this task over with. I’d steeled myself for it, and planned to be in and out in maybe 20 minutes. This was not to be. The gate would not open to give me access to the site, and I thought it was broken, and I had a mini meltdown in my car because I couldn’t get any help for half an hour, and all I could think was that I needed to get Jake’s stuff out before I lost my nerve.
I didn’t realize till I wept that I was upset about unloading Jake’s stuff.
Like Shell Stacy is completely cut off from Inner Stacy.
It got sorted out, and I put Jake’s things into storage, and all day since I keep finding myself vaguely surprised that food is not working any magic. It does not dissolve heartache.
I did an involuntary visual inventory of his things. I didn’t want to think about the survival gear he’d collected yet left behind–a sleeping bag, a small shovel that makes me think of shallow gravesites, a two-man tent that would have kept him out of the elements this winter–and I think, oh, my God, what if he was in LA in one of the wooded areas where the fires hit?–a sturdy rucksack, boots in his actual size–and I think about his refusal to wear shoes that fit–, a huge blue tarp, a Swiss Army knife. All smart stuff for roughing it and finding yourself out in nature away from everyone, if you had it with you.
Until I found his suicide note, I was positive he had not gone to Mexico.
But it’s the perfect place to disappear, isn’t it? He could have died there and no one would catalog his bones to be put into the Unidentified Persons Database for me to ultimately find.
So now I need to go back to Semefo, where the people are kind but the surroundings are cold and silent.
I can’t bear to look at little boys now.
I love them in all their boisterousness and energy. They remind me of Jake.
In the end all I have are memories.
This is what keeps my head from spinning off, I think. You can’t make memories if you’re not present.
I regret that my youngest son lives 5 hours away, but I also see how lucky I am: he calls me several times a week, just to connect.
I never take this for granted. Each time we connect is another memory.
Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts.
As a mother, my heart breaks for you. You and Jake are in my thoughts. I pray that you find Jake and/or the answers you so desperately seek. I pray for peace and comfort for both of you. Thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
I constantly check your blog, I want to say once or twice a week. I have the web browser open in my cellphone on the page where you’re making a list with updates. For some reason it kept going back to where you actually write (almost as if faith wanted me to read (notice) you’ve been typing more information here) it’s crazy how things happen. Anyway I want you to know I pray for you & Jake & constantly think of the same things you’re thinking. Is he okay? Is he cold? Is he able to keep warm? Has he eaten today? Just know you’re not alone & you have many people thinking of you 2 & your family. I can’t stop thinking of the last time I saw him & you at my son’s bday party at Bucklin Park DAYS before he went missing I feel so bad for not being able to talk to him more on that day (not knowing it would be the last day I would see him) but I honestly was going crazy that day with the bday party & trying to accommodate the party guests. We still have the book collection you gifted me that day for my son, thank you
Thank you, Julia. I appreciate your vigilance and I think Jake’s lucky to have such good friends.