Friends and Family in
Second Life,
An October weekend filled
with Guinness and Jameson's led to my birth in Galway, Ireland nine
months later on June 16, 1988, or so I'm told. My father was on
assignment there for the US Navy when he met (and presumably, had s*x
with) my birth mother. As things go, he didn't know that until she
travelled to America to present him with me and an ultimatum: Take
the girl child as a baby cramped her style. His wife was less than
thrilled, but the literal red-headed step-child was brought into the
home.
Most people, including me,
did not know I wasn't her child as we both had carrot-red hair,
freckles, and a fierce attitude. When my father died I was nearly 10
years old and she told me of my bastardy and her youngest son that I
was his to raise. Spoiler alert: We later reconciled and I was her
care giver for the last 12 years of her life. But not being able to
see that future led me to do stupid things and also to the first time
I died.
Some of you know the long
story, but what's important is that this brother saved my life,
though at the cost of me being able to speak and an inability to cope
with a number of instantly blooming phobias. He damaged his teaching
career by moving up in grade each year so I was always in his
classroom at least once a day to be my safety net. He was my knight
in shining armour, keeping me safe and loved.
In my Senior year, my
shrink introduced me to Second Life. My fear of people, especially
men, and a fear of leaving the house needed to be fixed. She felt
that I could socialize virtually, picking up some personal and life
skills. The Teen Grid also let me work out .... let's just say
there's a reason I fled on my 18th birthday and started a fresh
account on the Main Grid. CC Columbo, my Real Life brother who raised
me and joined SL the month before, met me at Waterhead and took me to
his land in Nangrim. There he gave me $L100, 16 square meters of land
to call my own, and then took me to the Isle of Lesbos. The rest, as
the trite say, is history.
At Lesbos I met my
soon-to-be sister, Threshin. She helped me become a strong (if wilful) and confident woman over the subsequent years. Always
encouraging and loving, I learned that I didn't need to cling to my
brother. I also met my wife, Angela, there. Marriages in SL are real,
if you let them be so.
I'm also proud to say I
was a citizen of Bay City, the BEST community in Second Life. So many
close friends, especially Marianne, Pygar, Rachel, Roc, and the
eternal Ever Dreamscape. This was truly the life I did not have
growing up. And grow up I did. The strength I gained from being
accepted into the city and becoming a contributor (the year I was
Miss Bay City was the best year in any of my lives) led to me
becoming a productive citizen in Real Life. Getting a job, paying
taxes, and becoming responsible for others. Just like a real person!
It wasn't easy, but
learning from my Bay City friends and people like Kennylex, my
darling sistress Zen, Crap, Anthony & Mo, Vick, KinZiki, Torley,
Michael (King of the Moles!), Kaelin, Doc, Loki, all the Moles &
Lindens, Claudia222, Cubey, Elvira, Draxtor, Gammy, Kaikou, Honour,
Fenix, Shep, GoSpeed, Iris, Miss Jane, Shaman, Parker, Serenity, Owl,
Nikokito, Sylvia, Washu, Mr & Mrs Hooker ... cripes, I wish I
could remember everyone right now ... helped make me into the person
I am now.
Then there was the
addiction. A surgery that CC almost didn't survive made me snap. I
had trouble separating Real Life from Second Life. I wanted to
escape, not knowing I'd survive without him. All my passwords were
changed. My blog, Flickr, and any ties I had to the virtual world ...
a real world unto itself, mind you, had to be cut. Every
non-essential app was taken off my phone and parental controls
activated. Back on the heavy meds and into therapy again. But got
strong again and found that there are many things one can do in
Meatspace. I even got to be CC's boss at the (not so secret)
government facility we work at!
Then there was the B-side.
Most likely it was from someone at work that CC, his girlfriend, I
picked up the COVID-19 virus (along with who knows how many others),
learning of this only after we were told to stay home (with pay!) and
to wash our hands. Fever, cough, no sense of taste or smell ... I was
tested. A few days later I'm here in the hospital with an iPad and a
teddy bear and I don't think this is going to be good.
If this doesn't get sent
out, you will never know. If you are reading this, please help CC
cope. He's had enough loss. His father (mine, too), his daughter, and
his grandparents all died the same year I first died. He's had
enough. We had a good 20 or so years after that, sure, but ...
/me hands you an
impossibly large box.
Take my Love. I have
plenty for all of you. Perhaps I'll see you all on the Big Grid and
we can swap stories. I hear there's no Grid goo and the Feed there
works. Until then, there's so much I haven't done. Go out and do it
for me.
Caitlin (AKA: Uccie, Zyx,
and Xandah)
20 April 2020
(editor) In hospital Caitlin passed away Tuesday evening April 21 2020 with her brother by her side. (CC was also diagnosed with Covid-19 without showing symptoms therefore he could be with her)
Writer Uccie Blue Galway
Editor Vick Forcella
Images Uccie Blue Galway
200424
