“Nipple-gate”

First of all–I never thought I would be stating John Brooks’ name and nipple rings in the same sentence.

As you recall, I was not aware of any tattoos or nipple piercing until the Funeral Home Director informed me. Actually, his words were “You know John has a lot of tattoos and some Big Gold Nipple rings, my reply was, “Really, no I did not”, but at that time I told him that I wanted the rings. Only because our family never buried loved ones with eyeglasses–must less jewelry. Chapter 4 is when the nipple rings are mentioned. It seems Tyler got the word we were trying to get them because they were gold. I did not think twice about them being gold because I felt sure I was going to find some other sources of income. When I mentioned the rings to others it was to share my surprise that John even had rings in his nipples. At the burial services when I was told they could not be removed–I was like OK–whatever.

The more I thought about it I concluded that it was just one more apparent lie I was told. Maybe just one more thing someone didn’t want to be bothered with. Maybe they forgot, maybe they didn’t have time, etc. OK, just tell me that, don’t tell me you could not get them off.

Let’s go back and think about the time frame we are dealing with here: John Brooks passed on June 22, 2015 and the phone interview I conducted with Brian Reed was January 18, 2016. Almost 7 months to the day. No one knows what I had been though 24/7 since that time. From the day I arrived in Alabama I was fighting unnecessary battles: I couldn’t:
• Get into Mary Grace’s house
• Get Mary Grace out of the hospital
• Get the mail
• Stop the stealing and trespassing
• Get a break with the Police Department
• Get any answers that made sense
• I was away from home more than I was at home
• Mary Grace had no money and nowhere to live
And then: you are now telling me you can’t get the nipple rings off a dead man??? REALLY???? Like I mentioned, they had performed an autopsy and we all know what that means.

So, here I am spilling my guts to Brian Reed and when he asked me some questions, I really didn’t take the time to think about my answers, I sounded stupid. When Brian asked me why I wanted the rings, I don’t know why, but why wouldn’t I get them? Did they belong to the funeral home? NO, did they belong to Tyler? NO, did they belong to me? NO but, if anyone should have them it would be Mary Grace, which I would never have given them to her or if I had given them to her, she would not know what they were. Knowing what I know now, if I was given the rings and they had been gold-I would have sold them in a heartbeat, because Mary Grace was broke.

I will have to say my statement on the Podcast “Just cut his nipples off–He’s dead” came across really harsh. And believe me–it haunts me. I probably had the same reaction as some of you did when I heard myself say those words. “Just cut off the nipples” I remember sitting by my cousin’s husband on the sofa and I turned to him and said: Oh My Gosh–I said that???

If you will listen again when Brian asked me “you mean you would really cut off his nipples?” My reply was: NO, I am just saying, don’t tell me you can’t get nipple rings off a dead man when you have already cut him from neck to privates.

I admit I am the type of person that never gives up when I feel something just doesn’t add up, I want proof, don’t just tell me something and expect me to believe it. I know I take things too far sometimes. (It drives Charlie crazy–he will say “enough Reta let it go”). I wish I could because it drives me crazy too.
My mind was going 90 miles an hour. I just could not let this go. I thought back to John Brooks’ picture, the one where he was leaning back in the wrought iron chair shirtless.
(See photo)

Those were some big rings. And later I thought about the morning Mary Grace sat beside her son’s coffin and rubbed his chest. His chest was flat–I know because I was thinking–you know this shirt looks good on John Brooks since I figured it was too small for him when I picked it out of his closet but, I knew the mortician could make it fit. No one will ever make me believe the nipple rings were there at the time.

This bothered me so much that I wrote a letter to the Funeral Home that prepared John’s body on March 1, 2017. I researched and found out the name of the funeral home owner. I called and ask to speak with him but of course he was not there. I ask if I mailed a letter to that address would the owner receive it and the lady said sure but, he does not come in everyday. She kept asking me what this call was concerning so finally I told her of my concerns. I told her that I was just thinking about the rings that could not be removed from my cousin’s body. Of course, she was definitely defensive, and I am sure I would have been too if I was in her shoes. I explained that it wasn’t even the fact I didn’t get the rings–I just wanted someone to explain to me why they would not be able to remove the rings.

OK, I told you I could not let this go–I even talked to two morticians about this matter. One was a retired Coroner and he told me he did not know anything that could not be removed from a corpse. Another was still employed with a funeral home and he explained that he had even removed a pace-maker from a body that was going to be cremated. It had to be removed or it would have exploded.
So, while I was talking with the lady at the Funeral home—I asked her–well, can you think of anything that could not be removed from a corpse? Her reply was yes– a tattoo. Really?? Needless to say, I never got a reply about the letter.

Guess this is another mystery that will never be solved.

Let’s just put this to rest. I can say that I finally have.

OK–Let’s keep talking

Reta