Sleep is coming

This is a blog about my family's experience with a little Ethiopian boy who came to the US to receive cancer treatment and ended up staying.  To learn the background story, click on the initial entry: "Going to Dafe Jema".


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We are still visiting family in Alabama.  Ruth Ann and I both grew up in Auburn, and our parents' houses are roughly a mile apart. When we bring the kids down to visit, we bounce back and forth, spending time with both sets of grandparents.  All of the back-and-forth is tiring, but fun.

At the moment Ruth Ann is over at her parents' house, seeing them one last time before they go to bed, on this our last night in Auburn. I'm visiting with my parents.  Tomorrow we go to the lake for the Fourth, then back to Birmingham, then finally back to Ann Arbor.

I just put Mary Claire (my 10 year old daughter) and Feleke to bed in the basement in my old bedroom. Mary Claire is in my old bed, and Feleke is lying on a mattress on the floor.  A few old basketball trophies decorate the dresser, the smaller ones mine, the larger ones my brother's.  On the wall hangs an autographed photo of Julius "Dr. J" Erving.  He was my favorite NBA player when I was growing up.  Sitting on the desk next to my bed is an old electric typewriter.  It looks  like the one I used in college.

Today I took my son Thomas (15), my daughter Caroline (13), Mary Claire, and Feleke to walk around downtown Auburn.  We went to the famous Toomer's Drugstore.   Here is proof.

We also saw the Toomer's Corner tree that was  poisoned by the crazy Alabama fan who was angry about some perceived insult to Bear Bryant's honor allegedly perpetrated by some Auburn fans back when Cam Newton helped Auburn win the title.  You can read about it here. Heroic efforts were made to save the tree, but they aren't working.  I assume it will eventually be replaced. There has to be someplace to throw toilet paper after Auburn wins a game.

It's getting late.  My father, who stayed up late to chat (we don't visit very often), finally has gone to bed.  Thomas is watching TV.  Caroline is playing a game with my mom involving dominoes.  The rules seem to be evolving as they play. It reminds me of the many games my older daughters, Hannah and Molly, used to play with my parents over the years.  Hannah and Molly are both a thousand miles away now.

When I put Feleke and Mary Claire to bed just now, after I had prayed for them and turned off the light, Feleke said: "Dad?"  [Pronounced Dod.]  Yes, Feleke.   "Sleep is not coming."  You can't fall asleep?  "No, sleep is not coming."  Okay, I'll lie down and sing a song.  So I did.  I lay down on the floor between the the bed and the mattress, and I sang "Amazing Grace" then "Down in the River to Pray" then the Bill Withers song, "Lean on Me."  Then silence for a little while.  I notice again that it's hard to sing lying flat on your back, hard to fill the lungs.  More silence, then:  "Dad?"  Yes, Feleke?  "Sleep is coming now."  Okay.  Good night.