I Never Was Allowed To Say "Uncle"

At my Mother´s grave... 

My Brother had taken care of the rules, one was no condolences at the grave. 

Siegfried was the oldest Sibling, just passed me by with the saddest look in his eyes. His other Siblings grabbed and hugged me, so he went "in line" again, grabbed me with full force and under tears said, 

 ".. you are my lille Iris, you always will be..." 

 

I was on his boat at around age 2 - he was a boat-engineer and I picked up any bits and pieces and crap on the ground, giving it to him with the word "efunden" which meant "gefunden", "found", he told me. 

 

Bro just let me know.... he had passed. Siegfried is gone. I was never allowed to call him "Uncle Siegfried" cause that made him feel old. 

 

His ashes were given to the ocean, so sad I could not be there (week two working for Siemens and... Corinna) - he was my fav Uncle.

 On 28th he met the water.

 

Dear Siegfried. Thank you for being you, for being there.

Despite Alzheimer´s you remembered me! 

I will carry you in my heart, always.

Your wild hair, your huge smile, your big heart, your humor.

Next time I´m on a boat... I´ll think of you so big, you must feel it.

My Brother believes you´re still out there some place, so... "Siegfried" feel OK...

To my generation it was not appropriate to leave the the "Uncle/Aunt"-thingy.

He was a man of the future.

He is gone.

I´ll never meet him again.

The blue eyes and the big smile. The antics.

Henry 🦁.... 

... and as long as we miss you, you are not forgotten, right.

May I call you "Uncle" now? 

Aw, well, no, I´ll keep the respect and will keep referring to you as "Siegfried", don´t you worry, you´ll never feel old, wherever you are.

 

Yes, sadly hence two posts in one day again...