What a joy! Having received Lidocaine and Cortisone into my right leg, I am out to walk in the Park. There is sunshine. Birds singing. Blue sky.
Summer has not yet vanished............
but Charles has vanished.
but Charles has vanished.
I didn't really know Charles. He's just a faithful old man I met years ago on the trail we shared as we cheerfully pushed against gravity.
We waved.
We greeted.
We smiled and exchanged pleasantries over several years.
We waved.
We greeted.
We smiled and exchanged pleasantries over several years.
When I first became aware of Charles, he was a Brisk Walker.
Then, oh, about 2 years ago Charles began sitting on a Park Bench to rest occasionally. That's when I got to know him a bit. I'm a nurse and anytime anyone bows out of an activity unexpectedly, I always pause to see what's up. Charles revealed no details about his health (men don't, you know) and passed it off with a smile. "Just slowing down", he said. "Aren't we all?" I jousted.
One day, many months or more ago, I became aware that Charles only sat on the Park Bench, never walking the trail. He always recognized me and I was always happy to see him.
Today I realize that Charles has vanished. It has been months now since I have seen him.
He has vanished!
But Maizy has appeared ...this very morning.....on my walk! Which is very odd since her funeral was less than a week ago.
She was with three other walkers. Her face lit up when she saw me. Her smile was radiant!
I almost staggered! Sitting down on the next available bench, I contemplated whether I was going Mad!?! Or was that woman a relative of Maizy's or something?
Certainly I don't believe the dead walk the earth!
As I sat there on the Park Bench resting, I recalled the time I "saw my mother" twenty years AFTER she died. She was in a hallway and I saw her from behind. MOM! I knew it couldn't possibly be her, nevertheless I ran after her. She paused at the elevator and as she turned around to see who was following her so ardently, I could see with disappointment that she wasn't really my mom.
Then she smiled at me. My mom's exact same smile!
I smiled back and walked away happy.
These little kinds of big events we mostly keep to ourselves, lest the younger crowd think we really have gone 'round the bend.
Yes, I am old. Yes, I'm disappointingly unpretty when I gaze at myself in the mirror. But in some ethereal ancient way, I'm everybody's mother, everybody's grandma, everybody's friend. I must remember to smile more often because I may also, however briefly, be somebody's angel.
But for now, I MUST get off this Park Bench!
Thanks for sitting here and resting awhile,
Riverwatch
