With my upcoming 50th high school class reunion, I will morn the loss of close classmates Grant and Dennis. My good friend Grant passed away decades ago, but just four years ago I had dinner with Dennis and his wife Sue at Michael’s in my hometown of Elkhart, Indiana. Two months later he died unexpectedly. On July 5, 2016, I took Sue to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field and she surprised me with a small metal film container of Dennis’ ashes. Together, we spread them down the first base line along the brick right field wall. I wrote this poem to honor this occasion while watching the Cub’s game from the stands yesterday. Maybe someday I’ll join him on the field?

“Ashes to ashes,
Dust to Dust.”
To rejoin the Earth,
is final must.

A special spot,
Where memories lie.
Set them free,
When I die.

Beautiful white flakes,
They fall like snow.
And come to rest,
In a place I know.

Where Ernie Banks,
Played the game.
And earned his place,
In the Hall of Fame.

Where home runs fly,
Over ivy covered walls.
And destiny is forged,
By bats, gloves, & balls.

Bricks and Blue,
Is what I choose.
An eternal nap,
Win or lose.

It’s my last wish,
To take the mound.
And be a part,
Of sacred ground.

Grave reminders,
Are not for me.
Make me part,
Of that grassy sea.

When my fate
Is finally sealed.
Just spread my ashes,
On Wrigley Field.

For Dennis Copyright 2019 johnstonwrites.com

I also ran across a similar request from a Steve Goodman called, “A Dying Cub’s Fan’s Last Request:”

Build a big fire on home plate out of your Louisville Sluggers baseball bats, And toss my coffin in. Let my ashes blow in a beautiful snow, From the prevailing 30 mile an hour southwest wind. When my last remains go flying over the left-field wall, We’ll bid the bleacher bums adieu, And I will come to my final resting place, out on Waveland Avenue.

Steve, I hope you meet Dennis!