Remembering Judy Diaz

REMEMBERING JUDY DIAZ

On this blustery day in June
Flag Day, in fact, I am celebrating
the death of my dear friend Judy Diaz
dead of an overdose.

An anguished psychotherapist
she couldn't take it any more.

As I plant each tiny flag in the
still wet ground, I remember this
remarkable woman who blew me away
with her wicked sense of humor,
ability to wield a wooden spoon
for marvelous Mexican foods and green salads
love of her therapy clients - when she moved
to Colorado to be with Michael and Tory - she gave
him one of her blue-eyed Siamese.

Judy, call me now before you do the deed.
Now now now!
No use. She don't come back.

Stalked by bad luck in that voluptuous land
Doctors refused to provide her with her
sleeping medication, Class Four I think
they called it.

She was a rebel. The best friend of clients,
Chuck shot himself but missed, schizophrenics
who thrived, and Barbara in sandals, who moved to Miami
"told you you could do it."

We'd meet at Judy's Arundal Way condo
her best friend another Judy finally
said goodbye to a miserable life and
married the love of her life, Irv
from Rohm and Haas. He bought his
Judy a white sable coat and this sexy
octogenarian sat
in his lap at Salon.

Oh, she loved jazz. Bob Perkins with the
Good Music though he sounded like he was
chewing Juicy Fruit as he spoke. I'll call him
later to make a request.

Permit me one last memory. We're at her place
with the antique furniture everywhere. She leaned
against the patio door, cigarette in hand, a sweating
can of Pepsi in the other.

"Ruthie," she said, "What do you think of the
little waterfall I put in?"

Walking down the path, I stuck my
hot hands inside and swooned.

We sat on the patio. Birds sang and crows
cried to their depths, living in the
little woods beyond.

On my back porch is your white wicker sofa
the stuffing smashing through,
the front porch has your nifty ceramic pot
with wild strands of grasses reaching
toward the sky, reaching toward my good friend
Judy Diaz who had the audacity - yes! - to die.

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For more Judy Diaz, as distinct from Judy Woodward, click here.

Below are original designs from when she and her ex, Andy Diaz, lived in Pakistan.