Dawn loved Elvis.

A few years ago, Dawn was diagnosed with breast cancer. We thought the lumpectomy had dealt with the problem. A recurrence in her lung showed otherwise. There were long struggles through the chemotherapy, fatigue, remission, and a final recurrence.

We always say that life isn't fair. This time around, it seemed especially unfair. Dawn was one of those kind and gentle souls that this planet could use a lot more of. She didn't deserve her fate. I suppose nobody does.

Dawn was my cousin. My Mom thought of her more as a second daughter than a niece. Dawn's early life had been tough, and Mom had helped to raise her. Many years ago we moved to Maine and lived with Dawn and her husband Doug for the summer while our house was being built. Dawn always brought a smile to my face, indicating her exasperation at things with a bright "Geezum Crow!" A few years later, Dawn and Doug moved to Wisconsin. Though the distance between New England and Wisconsin was long, Mom and Dawn remained close.

So close, in fact, that Mom and Dawn had spoken on the phone just the night before. Dawn said "They tell me that I'm checking out... but I don't feel that way."

We received the call at around five the next morning. I couldn't go back to sleep. Even though I was relieved that Dawn was no longer suffering, I knew that I'd have to get up and tell Mom. The trip down the stairs to my folks' room seemed surreal in the early morning dim. I opened their door, walked to the bedside, and whispered to Mom that Dawn had passed away during the night. I held her hand, kissed her on the cheek, and told her I was sorry.

What a strange and sad way to begin a day. It was about to get a little more strange.

Later on in the morning, I had to take TheWife™ to work because my car was in the shop. After dropping her off, I drove through the country toward the Massachusetts border. With no satellite radio and no CD player, I was forced to listen to the radio. The morning crew on the "rock" station (they never played any actual music) was bantering back and forth about some social event or another, I couldn't quite tell. What was obvious though, was that the two male DJs were ribbing their female colleague about being a "loose woman." She objected strongly and, with laughter in her voice said, "But I've only ever been with two guys!... Geezum Crow!!!"

I swear, I hadn't thought of that exclamation in almost thirty years.

Dawn loved Elvis.