I have always enjoyed being around older people. I was comfortable with Ava. She laughed at everything I said.
Silly Singin'
Nine years ago I had a dear friend pass away.
She was ninety-nine, and I was only seventy.
Yet the two of us carried a special bond for years.
We'd been long-time church friends,
Probably because she was so much like my mother,
Who had passed away many years earlier.
One day I telephoned to ask her family caretakers
If it'd be all right for me to drop by to see my friend.
They quickly assured me it wasn’t a problem.
But once I arrived, my friend was in bed, fast asleep.
I promised I would come back to visit another time.
However, they insisted I make this my next visit.
Once she woke, they asked that I go on inside.
When I entered her room, she sat up in bed,
And began pickin' at her lovely white hair—
As though she was tryin' to look more presentable.
Suddenly she turned to sit on the side of her bed,
Then asked that I come and sit beside her, to talk.
As we sat with both our legs dangling over the side,
We talked about the differences in today's music
From what we experienced in days gone by.
We even sang several old songs from long ago:
“I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”
“Home on the Range”
“My Home’s in Montana”
“Fifteen Years on the Erie Canal”
“Oh! Susanna,” and finally finished with
“Old DanTucker
Was a fine ol’ man,
Washed his face in a fryin’ pan,
Combed his hair with a wagon wheel,
And died with a toothache in his heel.”
After that we laughed and hugged tenderly.
Then our eyes welled with tears,
And we parted that one last time.
I miss my dear friend from church,
But I miss my wonderful mother,
Who looked so much like her, even more.
©️Copyright 2023 By David Lee Thompson
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You write these pieces so tenderly
and with such deep feeling…
The association with your dear Mother too adds
Lovingly to your story…
I remember the last time I saw
my step Grandma whom I had always been so close to…
She was very weak, but her smile so bright and warm
and full of love to see me…and like you,
we laughed also at times and experiences from the past
and shared a warm and emotional final hug…
These ‘last times’ as with Ava, are so
vitally important..for both parties…an acknowledgment shared
of life and good, happy times, but also for facing what lies ahead…
I’m sure your visit was welcomed so warmly by her…
and the humour you shared must have lifted her heart so much…
A fine piece of writing David…
Sending love and best wishes…
Diana
🌿
.
Sincerely,
Connie
Always remember Mom's rendition of Three Little Fishes and how she giggled when she called me on her TTY promptly at four on Mondays to giggle at everything we said, because it was so ordinary and extraordinary because she was talking to me a thousand miles away.
Ron