But I have a document that has to be processed and turned in tomorrow for 'merit pay' purposes... now, realistically, we haven't had any kind of pay raise here in the past few years much less 'merit pay'... yet this is one of those oxymoron-ish (is that a word?) things that we have to do in academia...
Out of absolutely nowhere, Maureen runs through my mind...
Nope... she's not another romantic failure in my life... she was a friend of Girl Shoes back when they were kids... I first met Maureen when my daughter and her were on the same little girls softball team when they were eight-years old...
Even then, Maureen was so pretty... so nice... so much fun... she had this great infectious smile... that when she would grin, you couldn't help but smile... she was all girl... yet quite an athlete...
Girl Shoes was all girl, but I think missed the athletic gene part... at least as far as softball and things like that went... Girl Shoes was quite a swimmer... and wound up with a university scholarship for swimming...
Anyhoo... I digress...
There are things in Life that happen to people that just don't make sense... one can sit and think about these kinds of things... and still just can't fathom a reason as to why some people have to experience... have to endure some of the things that they do...
Maureen was one of these people...
Maybe she was ten... when Girl Shoes was telling me that Maureen had to go to Memphis to see some "special doctors"... She had developed this 'knot' on her tibia on her right leg... tests and all indicated that Maureen had bone cancer... and she started immediate treatment... it's been long enough ago that I can't recall what all kinds of treatment she received... but I do know that she took great delight when her hair fell out... she never wore caps to hide the fact... and never ever stopped smiling that beautiful radiant smile of hers...
Then the doctors had to amputate her leg... and treatment became even more aggressive... and it just wore her out...
During one of the subsequent treatment session in Memphis, doctors discovered a 'spot' on one of her lungs... and treatments changed...
And then she had a stroke... she wasn't even fourteen... these are things that are supposed to happen to people my age... not a kid...
She hung on... she never gave up... she graduated high school... and went to college here at Alluvial Flood Plains State University... she was an art major... she just wasn't strong enough to walk.... so she wound up with a wheel chair...
You would see her around campus... her chair ladened with all of her books and supplies and all... and that great smile... I would see her and make up reasons to be going her way... so she could just hold on to her supplies... and I would push her to where she was going... We would talk about all kinds of stuff...
'Are you sure you are going this far out of your way?', Mr. Shoes, she would ask... and I would tell her, of course... I had better things to do than to go out of my way (fingers crossed)... the truth was I had nothing I would have rather have done than helped her...
I remember arriving at work one morning... it was raining the proverbial "cats-and-dogs"... and there was Maureen trying to cross the street with her wheel chair... I got my umbrella... ran over to where she was... and told her I would make a deal with her... "if you will hold my umbrella and keep us dry... I will walk you to your building..."
To which she replied, "you have a deal!"
That was the last time I saw Maureen... she was sick... and she died before the semester was over... before she got to get her diploma...
At commencement that Spring, the powers that exist here saw fit to award a posthumous diploma to her Mom for Maureen... when the presentation was made, a friend sitting next to me asked me why my eyes were tearing up...
I told her that it was for a friend... who didn't deserve what Life had sent her way...
God Bless you, Maureen...
~shoes~
That is a friggin shame for a young girl like that.
ReplyDeleteSecretia
Shoes you have seen some sad stories in your time haven't you.
ReplyDelete@ Secretia... Bathwater... yeah... it's not fair... and Bathwater, I've been told that I am just too emotional... too sensitive for my own good... and today is one of those days where I am really feeling it...
ReplyDelete~shoes~
No she didn't at all. Ohh goodness, such sadness here. I hope she has found peace and that smile is working its magic somewhere special.....
ReplyDeletesuch a sad story... she'd didn't deserve what life dealt her. it's amazing that she faced it all with a smile. kind of puts things in perspective. and to think i was annoyed hubby forgot to pack the little guy's lunch this morning.
ReplyDeleteMy brother died at an early age recently. I think it's also why I don't want children. Why I lost faith in my religion. Some people have to endure things they just shouldn't have.
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