Pay the last tribute to Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Last Friday was a nice day, not humid, 75F. I was planning to visit JFK Library and to pay the last tribute to Ted Kennedy. Since I took the train to Boston and transferred to Red-line subway, and then there were some shuttle buses waiting outside of subway station (JFK/UMSS stop), from there we being picked up to JFK Library. It was about 12:30pm. I didn’t have enough time to have lunch and have to wait in the line, otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to get in the library because it would be closed at 3pm.
After I got off the bus, there were so many people already waiting in the line. I hardly saw the library building when I was moving along the line at the beginning. We were from different races in white, yellow, brown and black as the news described, but all of us came for the same reason---saying Thanks and Goodbye to Senator. Within the line, everybody had his/her own story about Ted Kennedy directly or indirectly. I could see tears rolling in their eyes when they were sharing the personal experience with Ted. In the line when I was listening to those stories, I felt amazingly that all of sudden I was surrounded by a big warm family in spite of we actually never met each other before.
Not taking a while, there were so many people lining up behind me. Besides sharing the stories with each other, another touching moments are that Kennedy’s family members came out to reach people outside of library, like us lining far away from there. First of them coming to us were JFK, RFK, EMK’s grandchildren and then RFK’s daughter and son came out to shake our hands and appreciate us for the manner. From their sincere eyes when they were contacting me, I could feel their warm hearts telling me that I was more than welcomed, especially those kids are so pure and sensible and even polite, not like some other kids in the sophisticated way.
About 2pm I finally was close to the entrance of library. As long as the line went through the lobby, we were forced to move forward without stop in the room of Ted-lie in repose. But as soon as I stepped in that room, John Kerry and his wife Teresa were paying tribute to Ted and standing in front the casket for a long time and so that I was being blocked. John Kerry looked a little weak with cane since he just got a hip surgery two weeks ago. I don’t like this couple because I heard about his and his wife stories before. Anyway, this gave me a little more time to prepare for respect, like took the glasses off and held a book called “Last Lion” which I am going to read about. When I was passing the casket, I told Ted that my status was clear and thanked his office for an immediate response after I sent a letter to him, I appreciated his office to assist and treat me equally!
In the end when I was passing by the casket, Teddy’s two sons, Teddy Jr. and Patrick were so humble with shaking everyone’s hands and thanking everyone for coming. When I told them my tough story, both of them were appearing sort of relief for me on their faces and truly feeling happy for me too. At that moment, I was so moved and couldn’t help asking for their signatures on the book, although I knew later that it was not appropriate in that particular day, they seemed be very willing to do it for me without second thoughts! As they handed the book over to me, a quick thought flashing in my mind, I wish and hope that their father’s legacy and dignity will be continuing and lasting in the Kennedys family.
The last one was to write some words on signing books. My husband especially called me and reminded me not to forget it. Still so many people on the line were waiting for it. The words I wrote on were what I said to Ted Kennedy when I was passing by his casket, besides I signed my husband name too. Then I was told that t he signing books recorded the history significantly, and now we were in the book and became a piece of American history. It is very interesting that I made a little piece of history in this greatest Senator of America!
