ONCE

This was always a favorite family photograph. The colors and floral patterns of that moment, and in my shirt. [Click to enlarge and see better.] That's my oldest brother, who we called Tommy until he became a Franciscan friar and took the name Campion, standing to my right. And next to him in the white tee shirt my second oldest brother Jimmy, who we called Buddy. And leaning down in front of him is William, who we called by his middle name Robert, the third oldest and a cop at the time. Sitting in front of him his wife Marie, we called Sis, and to her left Buddy's wife Catherine and their first child Cathy. Behind her is my mother Irene, known as "big Irene," and next to her her mother, my Grandma Dempsey. Down front in white and the pixie haircut, my oldest sister Joan. And behind her my sister Irene, known as "little Irene." And sitting on the edge of the couch my father James, who most called Jimmy, circa early 1950s. All are gone now except me, my sister Irene, still going strong at eighty-one, and Sis, still going strong at ninety. Time. Sigh.