In a message dated 10/23/2005 3:00:29 A.M. Central Standard Time, Ruth  
writes:

Dem  bones at night

Details, we want details, as only you can tell them  Michael.  You tell such
delightful stories, in such a wonderful  way.  Ruth
 
This being Halloween  all can say is Watch out what you  ask  for 
 
 
I Since I was dead once (administered last  rites in a deadly mine cave in 
72) 
I can speak with  authority that when you die your life flashes before you 
like a run a way train  .  
Vignettes and  scenes of right and  wrong mirror the good and evil of ones  
life . 
Without waxing the  spiritual or the philosophical in a biblical sense  these 
entry's into  death or at least the bardo states  tumble before you ,feeding 
life  through  you in a metaphysical state unknown and undocumented in   
normal or even  subconscious states  . 
Most  vignettes when dying are about t  some decision you had choice over.  
Some seem  incredibly mundane, or childish but all  had significance in great 
 proportions  
This is not a dream  state that you are going to snore through .  
Were you ever in a  speeding car that you had no control over ? or a plane 
that was having trouble ,  or on a beautiful raft on a tranquil sea with soft 
winds ?  
That’s the metaphor  for the  ride you are on and it seemed to last an  
eternity  . 
I came to buried alive  a half mile underground  with my two co workers dead 
and staring at me .  
My eye socket and  orbital cortex were blown away my femur was sticking 
through my pant leg and I  was talking to the dead men as the other miners 
frantically dug and searched for  us while digging from above . 
When they  broke  through  my crypt they lowered themselves down by  rope and 
their  headlamps filled my cavern like  search lights . 
One man vomited when  they found me another hard faced miner cradled my head 
and  washed my  wounds with his canteen murmuring prayers ,"sweet Jesus be 
with this boy "and  telling me to “stay with him “and not go to sleep  “God 
dammit don't go to  sleep " 
A steel wire  gurney was lowered down  in the  shape of a sarcophagus. Then  
one by one and hand over hand I was carried  and lifted from miner to miner 
out of the dark and into the light  in a procession as old as Osirus by a  line 
of  bare  chested  miners  whispering prayers and words of  encouragement   
At the mines surface a  priest had been called for and with  Latin spoken my  
head was anointed with oil ,then without  warning or words  a  sheet  placed 
over my head.  
My thoughts about this  moment were more fearful than the accident itself .I 
was alone and no longer  with my brothers Dying is easy the hard part is being 
alone  .. 
This last summer I was  at the historic Presbyterian Church of 
Centerville(1700) mass on Cape Cod  waiting for  my sister and Peanut who was shaking down  
the minister for some bubble gum pops  . 
I was outside by the  old graveyard admiring the massive slate  tombstone of 
a one John Hinks who  I was told was lost at sea . 
These tombstones are  huge slate slabs about 3 inches thick and if unearthed 
would be 8ft because for  every foot above ground ,the old stone below was at 
least a  third of that . 
Cars were parked on  the crooked grass lane to where I was standing and 
people to get to them had to  pass my back so I didn't pay much attention when I 
felt something at my arm on  that Sunday morning . 
I turned and nothing  was there ,.... ok I imagined it … 
Then a few moments  later while still engrossed with the headstone  I felt a 
breath ,like when you are in a  crowd and someone is at your back and you 
can't do anything except try and  move  out of the way . 
So I again thought  somebody was  trying to pass so  I quickly side stepped 
to one side  hoping they would  pass quickly …,, turning to see who  it was I 
found  nothing . 
First I thought it was  Peanut pulling her tricks on me but then i got it  
, I was in the way  ..in fact I was in somebody's spot,  
Experience in working  the tombs has taught me that ten fold .There are 
certain signs and bumps .Odd  little things ; a missing trowel, a shovel moved 
.Bits of paper and  string. 
This time I  gave in and marched a few yards up the  lane to study other 
tombs when I saw her .  
It was out of the  corner of my eye but she was there plain as day wearing  
one of those 1800  ‘s long silk dresses in reds and blacks,lace at the neck and 
a set of small  pearls  under some lace .She just stood in those high button 
shoes and  waited at the grave ….then disappeared  …Happy Halloween  Py