Wednesday, February 02, 2005
EARLY JULY....1986
It is strange to think for the past two days I have been writing about my mother going to the nursing home and that is exactly what happened to my good friend, Opal, on Monday. Yesterday I went to see her and we had a nice visit. One of her daughters was there and Opal looked relaxed….I was happy to see she was accepting her situation. I have found when people are very ill, being in a nursing home isn’t so bad. She is also operating on the assumption this will be a short stay. I pray it is.
I came home to find our friend, Ellen, received more bad news yesterday and I know it made all of our cyber family as sad as it did me. It seems Ellen has been dished up with a pretty full plate right now and we all hope somewhere down the line the news begins to improve. All she’s asking for is more time to be here and that seems fair, knowing she has been dealt the death sentence. It’s easy for us to be brave because it isn’t happening to us. If you personalize what she’s dealing with it becomes terrifying. She continues to find humor and strength and we pray we can transfer some of the same back to her.
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The first day of July brought quite a bit of news. One of the staff at WC called to tell us a room was available for mom and he was moving her that day. Mom was happy to go to another room because it meant she could get out of the intensive care wing. It was a leg up on her rehabilitation. She was greatly encouraged and when we went to see her, we met her new room-mate. A little country woman who had known nothing but hard work and little consideration. She was a devout Christian and it showed in her attitude and on her face.
The weeks mom spent with her were good. Mom was quiet and a good listener. Emma was a little bundle of energy and chatty. In time mom met her few family members and learned they put her in WC and then ram sacked her home and took all of her things. If Emma grieved over anything it was over her lost things. She talked of the many quilts she made….the crocheted articles….her pictures, and so on. Mom was sympathetic as one who relates to another’s loss.
On this same day we had a call from Becky telling us she had been certified by 7-11 as manager in one of their Springfield stores. She had completed her probation period in record time and shown profit in one of the worst stores in town. She was understandably pleased and we were proud of her accomplishment. Becky had worked hard and was deserving of her promotion.
Finally on the morning of July 7th, Sergeant Groves of the Hwy. Patrol called to tell me I had been given the DE job. I was elated because I was to be the first female Examiner in Troop G and I felt a huge responsibility to do well as they put their trust in me. The next day the “guys” from the two crews were full of congratulations and I began the training to give road tests properly. I already knew the desk work…..so my training time would be short. I took some teasing from the guys who were having a lot of fun at my expense. That told me I was now one of them……
After observing road tests for a week and being checked on my grading I was then given the task of my first road test. I think that was the one time I was more nervous than the applicant. Rules and things to watch for were flying through my brain as I tried to emanate the consummate Driver Examiner. I wasn’t in the vehicle very long until I realized there was a driver operating a lot of metal who didn’t know the first thing about driving.
She was a single mother with a bunch of kids….having a hard time in life….and her tale went on and on. The effect to gain sympathy was lost as I was just trying to get us back to the Court House without either of us being killed. She was using the steering wheel as a merry-go-round and we were leaving pedestrians and motorists in our wake like a speed boat. The first test is the one we all remember…..it’s like your first kiss. But to tell you the truth…that road test had more excitement to it than my first kiss………
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
I came home to find our friend, Ellen, received more bad news yesterday and I know it made all of our cyber family as sad as it did me. It seems Ellen has been dished up with a pretty full plate right now and we all hope somewhere down the line the news begins to improve. All she’s asking for is more time to be here and that seems fair, knowing she has been dealt the death sentence. It’s easy for us to be brave because it isn’t happening to us. If you personalize what she’s dealing with it becomes terrifying. She continues to find humor and strength and we pray we can transfer some of the same back to her.
************************************************************************
The first day of July brought quite a bit of news. One of the staff at WC called to tell us a room was available for mom and he was moving her that day. Mom was happy to go to another room because it meant she could get out of the intensive care wing. It was a leg up on her rehabilitation. She was greatly encouraged and when we went to see her, we met her new room-mate. A little country woman who had known nothing but hard work and little consideration. She was a devout Christian and it showed in her attitude and on her face.
The weeks mom spent with her were good. Mom was quiet and a good listener. Emma was a little bundle of energy and chatty. In time mom met her few family members and learned they put her in WC and then ram sacked her home and took all of her things. If Emma grieved over anything it was over her lost things. She talked of the many quilts she made….the crocheted articles….her pictures, and so on. Mom was sympathetic as one who relates to another’s loss.
On this same day we had a call from Becky telling us she had been certified by 7-11 as manager in one of their Springfield stores. She had completed her probation period in record time and shown profit in one of the worst stores in town. She was understandably pleased and we were proud of her accomplishment. Becky had worked hard and was deserving of her promotion.
Finally on the morning of July 7th, Sergeant Groves of the Hwy. Patrol called to tell me I had been given the DE job. I was elated because I was to be the first female Examiner in Troop G and I felt a huge responsibility to do well as they put their trust in me. The next day the “guys” from the two crews were full of congratulations and I began the training to give road tests properly. I already knew the desk work…..so my training time would be short. I took some teasing from the guys who were having a lot of fun at my expense. That told me I was now one of them……
After observing road tests for a week and being checked on my grading I was then given the task of my first road test. I think that was the one time I was more nervous than the applicant. Rules and things to watch for were flying through my brain as I tried to emanate the consummate Driver Examiner. I wasn’t in the vehicle very long until I realized there was a driver operating a lot of metal who didn’t know the first thing about driving.
She was a single mother with a bunch of kids….having a hard time in life….and her tale went on and on. The effect to gain sympathy was lost as I was just trying to get us back to the Court House without either of us being killed. She was using the steering wheel as a merry-go-round and we were leaving pedestrians and motorists in our wake like a speed boat. The first test is the one we all remember…..it’s like your first kiss. But to tell you the truth…that road test had more excitement to it than my first kiss………
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
