Up Through The Thermals

The Letters

Henry,

I apologize for any mess you may find. I hope that you can accept the $25,000 cash in the manila envelope as compensation for any trouble this may have caused you. I’m sorry that I could not tell you that I was dying of cancer and that what you see here was my plan all along. I realize that this might all seem like a bizarre way for a person to deal with and finish the end of his life but for me, it had great meaning. Please just know that and accept my thanks and this cash. Please also if you could see that the other letters here get to my sister and brother. My sister can get the one address to Neal (my neighbor) to him. My belongings by the front door can go to my sister, and any of my remains can go to my grave plot next to my wife. My brother and sister can take care of that also.

Henry, thank you and your wife, Elizabeth, for sharing your home with me. It is so beautiful here, and I respected your space as best as I could.

I left my siblings' phone numbers on the Post-it note attached.

Sincerely,

Tyler





Dear Ben,

Well, I bet you’re pissed at me right now. Please don’t be. I was dying. I really did not want to go through another round of chemo, that, besides making me feel like shit would only give me at best several more months to live. You are a great brother and I could not have asked for better. I thought a lot this week of our antics through the years. Just so you know, my favorite Ben/Tyler event was when you took just the 2 of us camping at that lake during the summer between Middle and High School. You made me feel like a regular normal kid for those 3 days. 3 of the best days of my life. I never forgot that trip and drew on those memories many times in my life.

I love you bro, and always will. I’ll wait for you over on the other side. My love to Laura and the kids. Hope you all can be happy for me.

After all, how many people get to actually be eaten by vultures? My dream come true.

Your little brother,

Tyler





Dear Jill,

Well sis, I hope you can come to terms with what I have done. Remember it was not something I did to you. It’s something I did for me. If there had been any way that I could have shared my plan with you I would have. But we both know that you would have never allowed me to do this and I fully get that. Jill, you are not just my sister, you were my friend and confidant. Thank you for always listening to me and being there for me. I always knew you only wanted the best for me. I hope I was at least half as supportive to you. There was no way I was going to go through more chemo, and in a number of months, I would have passed on anyway. I just wanted to go on my terms before I started feeling the pain and the sickness. Please understand. I love you so much, and I’ll be here to show you around when you get here someday.

Love you little sis forever,

Tyler





Dear Neal,

I don’t know what you have heard about my passing, but I just wanted you to learn from me what happened. I am not even sure if you knew my cancer had come back, but the simple truth is that I was not interested in going through the whole chemo process. I mean, if there were a chance, it would have cured me then yes, I would have given it a try, but the best I could expect from the treatment was maybe living some months longer. I don’t know what you have heard, but I gathered many vultures together to help. It was quite a “venue”. I am hoping the best for you, Neal as you grow and become a man. Thank you for always being respectful and for being my friend. Take this check and use it for College or to go on your own adventure.

When you look up and see a kettle of vultures, just imagine how I am flying with them.

Your friend and neighbor, Tyler