My father stayed away from hospitals and funerals

And sick people

And dead people

He lived in eternal youth

Still working, still driving

Still fishing

He had all his own teeth

15 fishing rods and a cart to transport them to the pier

He outlived his clients

As they died one by one

He typed his own letters

Did his own taxes

Played golf with the boys on weekends

When my mother got sick, after a while

He sent her to me

He bought a new pillow

To celebrate his freedom

And ate egg salad sandwiches for lunch.