John F. Kennedy

 

May 29, 1917-November 22, 1963

I remember

-voices from the radio with words like “motorcade” and “Dallas” and “pronounced dead.”

-wanting to cram those words back into the radio, then turn it off so they couldn’t escape.

-a pink suit splashed with blood.

-being late for work that morning, in bondage to a radio and its awful truth.

-losing hope.

In those days, the voting age was 21.  I was looking forward to voting for President Kennedy for reelection.   I turned 22 the day after he died.