I had just begun to understand br the meaning of death when my uncle died. br Before him, Death was something that br happpened to members of my family that br I had never seen nor spoken to. br Sometimes they were brought back to us br during Dinner time, Dad would down his br beer and speak of them. br Death seemed unimportant to me, for no br one ever really seemed to speak of it. br The day my uncle died, mothers face br changed, it sagged and hung like a wet br flannel stuck to the bathroom wall. br She had large sacks under her eyes, br I imagined this was where her tears were br hiding. Her face reminded me of my Lego man. br He had fallen from his turret into our coal fire br two years before, and was rescued by my dad br who had carried him like a new born bird. br When he was given back to me, his whole br face was suspended, frozen yellow droplets br ran down his once smiling face. br My brother said he was the image of the Elephant man. br That was how my mother looked. br After the funeral and after those unkwown well wishers br had drunk themselves sad. I got my Little melted Lego br Man and replaced his head with a smiling Pirates one. br I gave it to my mother, and she like the Pirate smiled.