The Things We Remember...

The things we remember about people in our lives usually occur when they are no longer with us. People generally forget about those who fill their lives with joy or whom they've lost contact with in the passing years. One moment someone you love is in your life and then within a blink of an eye, they are gone.

Rosie, a woman from my childhood, was like a third grandma to me. She was a petite woman, with short light brown hair. Sometimes her voice sounded like there was frog in it, but that is the voice i remember her having. My sister and I would spend Saturday afternoons hanging out at her house in the summer while our parents were having some "time away from their kids". She would make macaroni and cheese and put tuna fish in it when we would have meals there. Her house was in an older part of where I grew up and it had character. There are pictures of my sister and I sitting on our parent's laps on her davenport in brown and turquoise jogging suites. Through the years between late elementary school and high school are a blur. I remember Rosie came to my high school graduation party and was so proud at my accomplishment.

This past Thanksgiving my family invited her over for our dinner. We got a bit carried away with the amount and variety of food we had. There were two types of pies, two types of dressing, homemade mashed potatoes, gravy, the list goes on. We also had two of Rosie's children and a son in law over to our meal. They're all good friend of the family. Then in early December, before I started my job, I had told Don, Rosie's second eldest child, that I would be more than happy to drive Rosie to a doctor's appointment. At that time, I was working as a temp in the area and couldn't think of a better way to spend my Monday. While we were waiting to get an x-ray taken, Rosie said, "Do you remember when I used to take care of you and your sister? Isn't it funny how things work out. You are now the one taking care of me."

I replied and said, "This is how life works, you took care of me, when i couldn't do it on my own. Now I can give back to you when you need assistance." I was Rosie's transportation because she wasn't driving anymore these days. After the appointment, we ran some errands together; we went to the library to drop off some books, then we went to the grocery store and I went in and bought her some butter scotch candies for 99 cents. With tax it came to more than that, but I said that we were even. That day was special and it's one that I'll remember for years to come.

The day after, I started at my job. The weeks went by...they were some pretty full weeks with learning a new job, and trying to remember which end was up. There was a message on our answering machine and I just thought it was my grandma-my dad's mom. Then I was informed that it was Rosie who called. Later that evening I returned her call. She was thinking about me and wanted to know how my new job was going. I was touched that she had remembered about me starting a new job. We talked for a short while and then hung up.

Today, I was given the sad news, that Rosie passed away yesterday, here in my home town. Judy, Rosie's eldest daughter, had been giving my family updates on Rosie's condition for the last week and a half. Rosie was in the hospital for pneumonia. She was a fighter and we all thought that she would pull through it. Not this time. My sister and I were like her grandchildren because none of her children had children of their own until I was in my later years of high school. I will remember her always. She was a wonderful person and had a very large and open heart.