Calvary Cemetery Loop

HOT SPRINGS—The Calvary Cemetery Loop goes over to, through, and back from the bigger-than-two-motherfuckers cemetery that's about three-quarters of a mile as a bird flies from Oaklawn Park. I walked it at lunchtime today in 53:08 before I wrote two stories in the Oaklawn pressbox.
I wondered at least a dozen times today and tonight where Jo would be when I got home. Whereas I worried about this at first, I now believe it is a product of eighteen years of habit, established in 2001 with Pam, rather than the extent to which I admired Jo. I can imagine it will occur until I get another pet, which I think I might consider once the Oaklawn season ends in early May. That's still a bit up in the air. Nothing has saddened me as much as Jo's death. I still react to the point of embarrassment every time someone mentions it, and I am not sure I'm willing to repeat this experience.*
*no shit, not more than two minutes after I completed the above and walked to the kitchen to check some tamales, as I walked back to my chair in the den, I looked toward the door with a thought that concerned Jo's well-being. I can't wait to report that this habit has ceased

TOMBSTONE OF THE DAY
Of your Charity
Pray for the Soul of

Dick (Richard) Melody

Born Manchester, England
Died Hot Springs
Nov. 26, 1928
Aged 77 years

I'm guessing he either didn't know the exact date of his birth beyond the year, which I assume was 1851, or he forgot to give it to any of his associates in Hot Springs. Also, I'm not sure of the style at the time, but by the contemporary standard, his parents named him Dick but he went by Richard. I assume the opposite was true but am willing to bet I won't ever know that one for sure