Sad Day

Went to Saratoga yesterday to be with the in-laws on Thanksgiving. The food was good and the visit was nice. But it wasn't a very good day.

After eating, I went to a couple's house that are very dear to me. They are up in age and have been friends to my family all my life and before. Prior to my leaving, the husband, who I believe is 90, rose from his chair to show me an old photograph. He is quite unsteady on his feet and ended up falling, hitting his head on an open drawer. I rushed to his aid and helped his wife get him back in the chair. He wasn't hurt badly, but it shook me up to see him fall like that. I stayed for a little while longer to make sure he wasn't seriously hurt.

I was heading back to my in-laws when I had an urge to go see the old house that my dad built and lived in with my mom for over thirty years. A nice man and his wife bought it from my mom and have made many improvements. When they were thinking about buying it, I told them they had to promise not to cut down a cedar tree that was in the front yard. In 1973, I found this little tree in the forest. It had chosen a poor spot to grow, the seed having landed between two huge pine trees. I returned home and got a shovel and uprooted the little thing and re-planted it in the front yard. It only stood six inches tall when I saved it. Over the years, it grew like a weed and was a magnificent looking tree. The man agreed not to cut it down. I was there about eight years ago and the tree was still there and growing. However, yesterday...when I arrived at the house, the tree was gone. All that was left was a stump about a foot high. The man came outside to greet me and I asked about the tree. It seems the last hurricane that came through that area almost uprooted it and it was leaning perilously close to the house. He had no choice but to have it cut down by professional loggers to save future damage to his home. The man told me the tree had reached about forty-five feet in height. I could tell by looking at the stump that it had gotten very big. It was almost two feet in diameter. When I saw it was dead, it broke my heart. Why the death of that tree affected me so, I have no real idea.

The man took me inside the home so I could see the improvements he had made. There were many, but I also noticed that many of my dad's fingerprints were still intact in the home. The glass wall was still there that he put in so mom could sit and drink her coffee, watching the squirrels and the birds at their many feeders. The fireplace he built and the cedar ceilings were still there. All put in by my dad. All this did was remind me that I could never spend another Thanksgiving or Christmas in that house with my parents. It brought back memories of him working so hard on that house that at times mom would have to pry his fingers from the hammer when his hand would cramp up. I remembered Lulu racing her wheelchair up and down the front porch with a smile of pure glee. The four by four posts that hold up the front porch were still there, and the concave shapes on some of them were still apparent from when mom's cats would use them as scratching posts. Tears were coming from my eyes, so I took my leave and ended the visit....probably for the last time.

Back at the 'ranch', my mother-in-law was falling asleep in her chair. She looked so old and tired. This lady has been my best friend in this family for over thirty-five years. I remember her being robust and full of life and, most of all, happy. Back in the day, the whole family would gather round on this day and Christmas and the house would be full of laughter and good food. Now, we're the few that show up and stay for a while. Oh, there are a couple who come for a short visit, but most have moved on and live too far, and their children have had children and life has taken a different turn for them. I'm not being critical of any, only stating my perspective. Still, looking at her in that rocker, with her chin almost touching her chest; all I could think about was that soon, Memaw (as we call her), wouldn't be able to get the fixin's together for the holidays and that her diabetes was fast taking a toll on her.

Then, right before the Dallas game, my wife informs me that we have to leave. Upon asking why, I'm told that our daughter has to go get a friend of hers who has arrived from up north and was in Huntsville with her family. This really hit me wrong and I said so. I defiantly watched the first quarter and then begrudgingly loaded up the car and left. Believe me, the day only got worse from there.

Sometimes I'm not too happy that we don't get three wishes in life. One of mine would be to go to sleep and wake up on January 2nd...after the 'holidays' have passed. I don't need them