photo: My HipstaPrint "Fairy-Angel" by TJGoogins
I got a call from my friend Donna's husband this morning - I was already awake, got up before my alarm went off, which was set for seven a.m., so it was kinda early - but he had already phoned me a couple of days before to prepare me for this call...
"She passed away around five o'clock this morning," he said
"Were you there?" I asked. I knew how devoted he was to her, how much he loved her, how much he didn't want to lose her but knew she couldn't last too much longer.
He told me the nurse had called him from the house, so he left work and got home just as Donna was taking her last few breaths. Although I knew that was a difficult moment for him, I also knew he could take some small comfort from being there when she departed.
We talked for a few minutes, both of us feeling very much relieved that her fight with cancer was finally over and she would feel no more pain.
"She's dancing now, Robert - dancing and laughing." And telling jokes, I meant to add.
Donna was my boss nearly 30 years ago but we became good friends and stayed in touch even when we moved from one place to the next. I was her "straight man" and she was my personal chef. She was small and I was tall. We were both May babies but she was a year older than me. She had a hard life and worked her behind off for most of it but she always knew how to have a good time until this ugly thing came to torment, weaken and eventually consume her. She was a tough, wisecrackin' Boston-born girl who kept giving Mister Death the finger until the very end.
I stopped to see her last month when my husband and I drove South for our vacation - it had been more than ten years since I'd visited her - and we both got to meet each other's husband. Although I didn't want this to be my "good-bye" visit, I think I knew it would take a miracle to get a second chance at this; she looked so pale and frail and yet she was still cracking jokes.
So, rest in peace, 'Mo (she called me 'Bo - or was it the other way around? - but that's another story). Stay in touch, ya hear? And make the angels laugh, dear friend, make 'em laugh.
2 comments:
I edited this post because I wanted to fix some poor grammar and sloppy sentence structure - and also wanted to add a photo of my friend - however, I am still looking for the pictures ~ so I will write another short post when I have found what I'm looking for ~ thanks - TJ
lovely. sad. sweet.
this is true: people like me -- your friends -- are supremely fortunate to have you in their lives...
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