7.05.2006

'Twas 71

My parents both use the internet phone plan Vonage, so sometimes our conversations are a series of clicks and echos. Sunday's conversation with my dad was particularly crowded with my ghost menagerie, which led him to tell me this:

When my aunt Denise told her son Travis about taking her first trip to Ireland this summer with her four sisters, he told her, "don't go with them, go with me instead." My twenty-seven year old cousin passed away at the end of February, so in the end, aunt Denise would make the journey with her sisters.

They stayed in a room with the skeleton key inside the lock, but the door would rattle and shake every night regardless. "Leave us alone, Travis...we're old women trying to sleep" became part of the nightly ritual.

On the return flight home, my aunt Denise would have to take a different plane home. Flight 71, which was also Travis' jersey number. Coincidence? Or did he perhaps take the trip to Ireland with his mom, afterall?

2 comments:

Travel Italy said...

Interesting "coincidence".

Kelly said...

What a cool story. It makes me wish all over again that I could've gotten the chance to know our cousin Travis.

When I was in Vegas, Tamara told me that Travis used to love the phone messages I'd leave for him. I never watch football, but I would turn on the game, and then call Travis.

"I see you're in North Carolina today. Glad you won."

I miss you Travis. I'm glad you got to Ireland, after all.