My Onkel Buster

My Onkel Buster

Today I'm thinking about my Uncle Buster. (Onkel = Uncle in Norwegian) I have so many fond memories of him that just tickle me.

One of my earliest is when he took me and my three brothers out for ice cream at a drive-in restaurant in his brand-new Thunderbird. This would have probably been in the late '50s. Of course with all four of us being small and some of us being rambunctious some of the ice cream spilled and oh how angry Onkel Buster got! That probably made him decide then and there not to have any kids!

Through the years he often spent Thanksgiving dinner with us or Christmas dinner. He didn't marry until much later in life so he was alone so often. I remember that it always "bothered" me that he didn't have any presents to open on Christmas. I noticed in my youth that he liked western novels so in my early teen years I gifted him a western novel each Christmas so he'd have something for his Christmas. Year after year the routine stayed the same.

One Christmas when I was in college he came over one Christmas morning with a record stereo and told my dad to give it to me. When my dad completed that task his remarks to me were, "Look like that book deal finally paid off!" Somehow it didn't matter to me.....I only wanted him to have something for Christmas.

My Onkel Buster was a World War II hero. He received the Silver Star for Valor and Bravery and many other medals for his service to his country. He served all 4 years under General Patton and rarely talked about his experiences there...but we all knew it.

He died nearly 30 years ago when he was crossing some railroad tracks and was hit by a train. It was a shock to all of us. When my dad went to clean out his mobile home, Dad looked in his safe. In there he found not stocks or bonds or monies but rather pictures of Onkel Buster with each of his girlfriends. There were many, many. Of course, my favorite was the one in that stack that was me with him when I was about a year old. It brings a smile to my face and to my heart, just to think of that.

Since he died I have had several dreams about him. Interesting enough he has always been behind some kind of barrier. One time he came to my yard but wouldn't come in it. He stood outside the fence and in his hands was a guitar. He said, "I have a present for you." I recognized it as an "Ovation" guitar but he clearly said it was an "obsession" guitar. I've thought a lot about that dream over the years and have wondered about its meaning. I've wondered about all of my obsessions" and about how much I love guitar music...playing and listening.

A few years ago I dreamt that Onkel Buster and my grandmother (his mother) were standing on the other side of a creek, smiling and waving at me. That left me with such a good feeling for a long time.

This morning in my waking dream I felt him beside me as I was sleeping. He touched my shoulder and said very clearly, "It's time for you to come now." It was so real that when I opened my eyes I looked around the room to see if he was here in my bedroom.

Now I'm wondering where is it that I'm supposed to "go to" and what is the time that dream is talking about.

Maybe my Onkel Buster will let me know.....soon!