So, I found a dead body. How was your Sunday?

[whiski_sour]

After watching the Cubs lose, I went for my usual walk around the yard with my cat Maudie Moo. I was down in the alley at the end of the yard, walking with Maudie and singing along with my iPod when I saw, through the fence, the neighbor behind us laying in his yard next to the mower.

At first I was a little embarrassed because I was singing and didn't realize he was around. A second later, I realized that it wasn't a good thing.

I walked over and hollered at him, asked him if he was okay. No response. I got closer and asked again. I got right up to the fence and realized he wasn't moving, he didn't look like he was breathing, and the waxy look of his skin let me know that he was probably dead and probably had been for a bit.

I ran up to the house and got Dad for a second opinion. He confirmed it and called it in. I then spent the next forty-five minutes to an hour watching the fireman, paramedics, and later the coroner take care of the body.

The neighbor came over and asked what happened. I told her. She felt bad that he'd laid there and no one had noticed. We figured he'd been dead for at least four or five hours. She asked who found him and I told her I did. She asked if I was okay. I told her I was.

Several people have asked if I was okay after they found out I found the body. This is one of those times that Carrie tells me about in which I differ from other people. I guess the normal reaction is to be upset (and I appreciated people asking). But I'm not. I feel bad for the guy, it's unfortunate, but I'm not upset. It's just a dead body. The way I look at it, the guy who inhabited that body is long gone. It's just a corpse.

And the way I look at it, even if I was upset, I'd say the dead guy is having a worse day. Being dead is probably the bigger disappointment.

I did have a this odd thought while I was standing there with Dad waiting for the circus to arrive. I've been sick for over a week and I've still got this cough. Every time I coughed, I expected it to get the dead guy's attention.

Just one of those weird, human thoughts, I suppose.