A
Anonymous
Guest
Where normaly Norma would have run the motor back to the landing, she chose this day to take the middle seat. I shoved the boat off from shore, jumped in and scooted around her. She just sat there facing me all the way back to the car and every time I would lean right to look around her, she would lean left, still flirting with me. Her eyes were puffy from the sentimental visit of the yellow winged butterfly. she pulled her ball cap down closer to her eyes and as the boat slid into shore back at the car, she reached for her rods and tackle box to start loading the car. She, stopped and looked back and said: "You know something Snookums, I am glad you were with me when the butterfly made it's visit"!
You know Snookums, she said leaning up against the Rambler before starting towards home some 20 miles away. You and I have had many fantastic days together, just being buddies right? ?? now, Dad is presurring me to start seeing other boys, he thinks we are spending way to much time together but I do not want to do this and we will have to start slipping around to get around DAD.
Driving home that day, I had an awfull heavy sinking feeling inside of me after the short conversation at the landing. Where Norma thru the years had taught me how to cross-reference the Holy Bible, to get different books ideas, and I taught her in return how to get dirt under her finger nails and warm mother earth in between her toes.
As time slowly stands still, so does the days of our lives as we drifted apart not from our choosings but from the wishes of her father. Norma Jean would see me in the hall during classrooom changes and allways flash the thumbs up gesture and that great ear-to ear smile of hers. As the days went into weeks and then months, I knew it was bound to happen as I walked home from school one day, I saw her sitting close , very close as they drove up the street, the hero of the football team, the quarterback and just a few more weeks she was wearing his Letter Jacket! this, was very hard to take and the empty hard gut wrenching feeling came in my stomach.
She had become more than popular at school, she was a good student making excellant grades, she lost that tomboy look, she lost the geek ness, I saw in her in grade school. She became a beautifull woman, outgrowing the teenager years very quickly. She could have been a Ms. America, even when she was still in high school and it was no quessing that year of her 12th grade who was going to be the football homecoming queen.
A early fall cold front had moved thru the area and it was too cold for her and her homecoming court to have to sit thru, especially as the football team was taking a beating right and left on the gridiron. A light rain started falling making it more misserable to the homecoming court and I watched from the stands as she sat there shivering in the cold night. I eased down behind her pulling off my duckback coat which was very warm and water proof and gently eased up and wrapped it around her shoulders. She jumped with frightfullness as the coat touched her shoulders, turned her head sideways and saw who I was standing there smiling at her.
She said thank you Snookums, I was about to freeze and as she turned back around to sit down I noticed that she favored her right leg. I reached down and whispered in her ear, not going to make a scene here with your Dad watching every move I am making tonight but oh how I want to kiss you right now but will let it pass. thumbs up buddy, she exclaimed; me too, me too!
In the next few weeks at classroom changes every so often I would get a short second or two glimpse of her as she scooted in her shuffeling walk to her next class and she was still limping favoring her right leg. So, one day I waited for I knew where her next class was and I was not even supposed to be on that side of the building being I was in the 11th grade. She came around the corner and was face to face with me and she was limping more than ever. I stopped her and said ok, what's with the limp winnie the pooh?
Norma Jean told me that she did not know, only that she had woke up one morning with her right knee hurting and that her Dad was taking her back to the doctor that very afternoon for it had become more swelled than ever. She, looked up and down the hall for most of the kids were allready in thier classrooms and the halls were becoming empty. She reached down and pulled up her skirt and even with the sprain bandage, I could see it was huge. She had no business being on it.
She got to missing more school days because of the leg and a specialist was located 6 hour drive away in Memphis, Tenn. Her Dad, did not like what his high school buddy the doctor was diagnosing this and turned to a specialist.
Norma Jean called me one night right before bed and told me they were going to Memphis the next day and she would let me know what's what when they got back. Three days went by and she was not in school or had even called.
Word spread thru the school and the commmunity like wildfire that the football homecoming queen had bone cancer and it was located under her right knee. Surgery was performed as they were in Memphis for it had allready spread upwards and downwards in the right leg. The surgeon removed her right leg, right below the hip and just barely left anything there. It was weeks before I got to see her and hear her voice.
Norma Jean was strong, and she was not going to let this stop her from becoming a School teacher. She still had her plans to go to college one leg or two. Norma relied heavily on the teachings of a book that she knew inside and out, the Holy Bible! This book gave her stength she said and knew all would be well at the end., But, what is planned in life sometimes has to take a detour to be able to see the colors of life!
Chemo-therapy back in 1962 was not un heard of, it was just not perfected as close to it is now and she and her parents were making the long trip to Memphis once every 3 weeks for chemo treatments. they, would shoot her with one medicine and her body would reject this and be deathly sick for weeks at a time while that medicine got out of her body, then the doctor would put another kind of chemical in her and try again...
One time when she and just her Mother made the trip to Memphis for just a check-up and after leaving the doctor's office heading home they drove around and found a new rock star's home who lived in Memphis. Norma Jean was stong and hard headed as she was, stood there that day on crutches, taking pictures of this man called Elvis Presley's home, with a scarf over her head from being nearly bald from all the chemicals passing thru her body, she was very week. As she stood there that late evening right before sunset, she snapped a few pictures and noticed someone from the second story window waving at her. She, waved back and said look Mommy, someone is waving at us.
A bottom door opened and down the long concret walk came a very handsome, tall young man, dressed in blue jeans and a sweatshirt, with a big smile across his face he invited Norma Jean and her Mother inside for some refreshements with his own mother. they sat as Norma told it to all her classess later on, in the kitchen area and had cokes and cookies homemade by Elvis Presley's mother.. Elvis got out two or three guitars and sang some songs to them that would later on down the road go off the charts of a new thing called rock-n-roll. Elvis, was impressed with Norma's courage and as they started to leave to drive back to Malvern, Elvis walked them to thier car and reached down and placed a big kiss on Norma Jeans right cheek and thanked them for stopping by to visit, smiled with his eyes and soul and went back up the long walk as told to me by Norma Jean and her mother.
Of course this story went thru school the next week like a rumor but it was truth and Norma Jean would not even wash that side of her face for days and days. She, told of how common a man that rock star was and how handsome he really was, that his kitchen looked no different than anyone else's. Class act that Mr. Presley had to have been to have taken the time out to greet and invite a lady standing at his yard's end taking pictures leaning on crutches. This man I gave the thumbs up signal too. this was a true southern gentleman.
Norma Jean started calling again every single night right before bedtime and sometimes I could hear in her voice a very hollow and far away sound. She would allways wish me a goodnight Snookums and we made plans for me to escort her to her senior prom less than 2 months away.
With an excited voice she called late one night right at 9 and my Dad answered the phone. I could tell by his weathered face grin who it was. He handed me the phone and said it is the lady fisherman. With reserved and excited voice she started in telling me something and then for some reason just got very quite.. She, said she had not had any pain for 3 whole days, but felt like something good or great was fixing to happen. I could feel her excitement even over the phone.
Norma said this afternoon when she went to open the window to let the springtime air into the window , what did appear on her window ledge? Oh Snookums, I wish you had been here with me when I saw it, for you were with me at the falls one day when the first visit came from the yellow winged butterfly with black spots. then , she said goodnight Snookums, thanks for being my best buddy!
The next morning was bright, clear, sunny and warm but Norma Jean did not wake up. Before, this beautifull person both inside and outside even finished high school, she gave into the battle of her cancer during her sleep. the date: march 15, 1962.
Not only was I devastated at the phone call from her mother, both me and my parents went over to the 2 story old home on the main highway to pay our respects.....when Norma Jeans Dad saw who my DAD was, one of his best customers , he changed his outlook towards me, just a logger's son.....but, it would have been nice if Norma Jean had seen this before she..
Now, I did not even own a dress suit and wanted to dress nicely for her departure celebration, so Mother double starched my best pair of jeans and white long sleeved shirt and put a bow tie on me.but it would not clasp for my neck had grown so much that year....when, we arrived at the funeral parlor, we were setback at all the cars and people attending. The big old church seated over 500 and even into the balconey it was full. It was standing room only, in the foyer and the halls. Right before the funeral was to start, I looked and coming from the back down the long isle was Norma Jean's DAD. He walked up to us and said come with me I have seats for you 3 fine people. And where did we sit, right behind Norma Jean's parents in the family room.
At the graveside later on in the day the huge crowd went along and was slowly drifting off one by one after paying thier respects to Norma's family. I stood way back hidden from view, choosing to lean up against a old Post oak tree for I was biding my time to approach this hallowed ground.
Her parent s were the last to leave that evening as the clear, warm March day had turned into a coolish evening. A low rolling thunder could be heard back in the south.
In the distance I could across the meadow hear a dove's mating cooing sound, one of the first true sounds of springtime in the south.
As her parents started out of the long drive in thier new car, I slid around the tree, so I would not be noticed, but her DAD had allready seen me and pulled right up beside the tree, rolled down his window and handed out to me in a gesture a envelope with my name on the front. He said, he had been given stern instructions when to give this note to me.
As they drove out of sight, and with trembling fingers I opened this note, in part it said:
Snookums, my best buddy
please do not stand at my grave and cry
for I am not there
I am the wind in the willows
I am the sun upon your face
I am the smell of the fall rain
I am the thunder in the distance
I am the sparkle on the snow
I am the dirt between your toes
I am the song in your heart
all these things you taught me to love in this life
I just wished I had more time to been your wife!
please, do not stand at my grave and cry
For, am not there
I am the whipporwill in may
I am dove, far, far away
I will be watching over you my love
and if I see you troubled, I will return to you
bringing, soltice, as a yellow winged butterfly with black spots.
"Winnie the Pooh"
to be cont'd
You know Snookums, she said leaning up against the Rambler before starting towards home some 20 miles away. You and I have had many fantastic days together, just being buddies right? ?? now, Dad is presurring me to start seeing other boys, he thinks we are spending way to much time together but I do not want to do this and we will have to start slipping around to get around DAD.
Driving home that day, I had an awfull heavy sinking feeling inside of me after the short conversation at the landing. Where Norma thru the years had taught me how to cross-reference the Holy Bible, to get different books ideas, and I taught her in return how to get dirt under her finger nails and warm mother earth in between her toes.
As time slowly stands still, so does the days of our lives as we drifted apart not from our choosings but from the wishes of her father. Norma Jean would see me in the hall during classrooom changes and allways flash the thumbs up gesture and that great ear-to ear smile of hers. As the days went into weeks and then months, I knew it was bound to happen as I walked home from school one day, I saw her sitting close , very close as they drove up the street, the hero of the football team, the quarterback and just a few more weeks she was wearing his Letter Jacket! this, was very hard to take and the empty hard gut wrenching feeling came in my stomach.
She had become more than popular at school, she was a good student making excellant grades, she lost that tomboy look, she lost the geek ness, I saw in her in grade school. She became a beautifull woman, outgrowing the teenager years very quickly. She could have been a Ms. America, even when she was still in high school and it was no quessing that year of her 12th grade who was going to be the football homecoming queen.
A early fall cold front had moved thru the area and it was too cold for her and her homecoming court to have to sit thru, especially as the football team was taking a beating right and left on the gridiron. A light rain started falling making it more misserable to the homecoming court and I watched from the stands as she sat there shivering in the cold night. I eased down behind her pulling off my duckback coat which was very warm and water proof and gently eased up and wrapped it around her shoulders. She jumped with frightfullness as the coat touched her shoulders, turned her head sideways and saw who I was standing there smiling at her.
She said thank you Snookums, I was about to freeze and as she turned back around to sit down I noticed that she favored her right leg. I reached down and whispered in her ear, not going to make a scene here with your Dad watching every move I am making tonight but oh how I want to kiss you right now but will let it pass. thumbs up buddy, she exclaimed; me too, me too!
In the next few weeks at classroom changes every so often I would get a short second or two glimpse of her as she scooted in her shuffeling walk to her next class and she was still limping favoring her right leg. So, one day I waited for I knew where her next class was and I was not even supposed to be on that side of the building being I was in the 11th grade. She came around the corner and was face to face with me and she was limping more than ever. I stopped her and said ok, what's with the limp winnie the pooh?
Norma Jean told me that she did not know, only that she had woke up one morning with her right knee hurting and that her Dad was taking her back to the doctor that very afternoon for it had become more swelled than ever. She, looked up and down the hall for most of the kids were allready in thier classrooms and the halls were becoming empty. She reached down and pulled up her skirt and even with the sprain bandage, I could see it was huge. She had no business being on it.
She got to missing more school days because of the leg and a specialist was located 6 hour drive away in Memphis, Tenn. Her Dad, did not like what his high school buddy the doctor was diagnosing this and turned to a specialist.
Norma Jean called me one night right before bed and told me they were going to Memphis the next day and she would let me know what's what when they got back. Three days went by and she was not in school or had even called.
Word spread thru the school and the commmunity like wildfire that the football homecoming queen had bone cancer and it was located under her right knee. Surgery was performed as they were in Memphis for it had allready spread upwards and downwards in the right leg. The surgeon removed her right leg, right below the hip and just barely left anything there. It was weeks before I got to see her and hear her voice.
Norma Jean was strong, and she was not going to let this stop her from becoming a School teacher. She still had her plans to go to college one leg or two. Norma relied heavily on the teachings of a book that she knew inside and out, the Holy Bible! This book gave her stength she said and knew all would be well at the end., But, what is planned in life sometimes has to take a detour to be able to see the colors of life!
Chemo-therapy back in 1962 was not un heard of, it was just not perfected as close to it is now and she and her parents were making the long trip to Memphis once every 3 weeks for chemo treatments. they, would shoot her with one medicine and her body would reject this and be deathly sick for weeks at a time while that medicine got out of her body, then the doctor would put another kind of chemical in her and try again...
One time when she and just her Mother made the trip to Memphis for just a check-up and after leaving the doctor's office heading home they drove around and found a new rock star's home who lived in Memphis. Norma Jean was stong and hard headed as she was, stood there that day on crutches, taking pictures of this man called Elvis Presley's home, with a scarf over her head from being nearly bald from all the chemicals passing thru her body, she was very week. As she stood there that late evening right before sunset, she snapped a few pictures and noticed someone from the second story window waving at her. She, waved back and said look Mommy, someone is waving at us.
A bottom door opened and down the long concret walk came a very handsome, tall young man, dressed in blue jeans and a sweatshirt, with a big smile across his face he invited Norma Jean and her Mother inside for some refreshements with his own mother. they sat as Norma told it to all her classess later on, in the kitchen area and had cokes and cookies homemade by Elvis Presley's mother.. Elvis got out two or three guitars and sang some songs to them that would later on down the road go off the charts of a new thing called rock-n-roll. Elvis, was impressed with Norma's courage and as they started to leave to drive back to Malvern, Elvis walked them to thier car and reached down and placed a big kiss on Norma Jeans right cheek and thanked them for stopping by to visit, smiled with his eyes and soul and went back up the long walk as told to me by Norma Jean and her mother.
Of course this story went thru school the next week like a rumor but it was truth and Norma Jean would not even wash that side of her face for days and days. She, told of how common a man that rock star was and how handsome he really was, that his kitchen looked no different than anyone else's. Class act that Mr. Presley had to have been to have taken the time out to greet and invite a lady standing at his yard's end taking pictures leaning on crutches. This man I gave the thumbs up signal too. this was a true southern gentleman.
Norma Jean started calling again every single night right before bedtime and sometimes I could hear in her voice a very hollow and far away sound. She would allways wish me a goodnight Snookums and we made plans for me to escort her to her senior prom less than 2 months away.
With an excited voice she called late one night right at 9 and my Dad answered the phone. I could tell by his weathered face grin who it was. He handed me the phone and said it is the lady fisherman. With reserved and excited voice she started in telling me something and then for some reason just got very quite.. She, said she had not had any pain for 3 whole days, but felt like something good or great was fixing to happen. I could feel her excitement even over the phone.
Norma said this afternoon when she went to open the window to let the springtime air into the window , what did appear on her window ledge? Oh Snookums, I wish you had been here with me when I saw it, for you were with me at the falls one day when the first visit came from the yellow winged butterfly with black spots. then , she said goodnight Snookums, thanks for being my best buddy!
The next morning was bright, clear, sunny and warm but Norma Jean did not wake up. Before, this beautifull person both inside and outside even finished high school, she gave into the battle of her cancer during her sleep. the date: march 15, 1962.
Not only was I devastated at the phone call from her mother, both me and my parents went over to the 2 story old home on the main highway to pay our respects.....when Norma Jeans Dad saw who my DAD was, one of his best customers , he changed his outlook towards me, just a logger's son.....but, it would have been nice if Norma Jean had seen this before she..
Now, I did not even own a dress suit and wanted to dress nicely for her departure celebration, so Mother double starched my best pair of jeans and white long sleeved shirt and put a bow tie on me.but it would not clasp for my neck had grown so much that year....when, we arrived at the funeral parlor, we were setback at all the cars and people attending. The big old church seated over 500 and even into the balconey it was full. It was standing room only, in the foyer and the halls. Right before the funeral was to start, I looked and coming from the back down the long isle was Norma Jean's DAD. He walked up to us and said come with me I have seats for you 3 fine people. And where did we sit, right behind Norma Jean's parents in the family room.
At the graveside later on in the day the huge crowd went along and was slowly drifting off one by one after paying thier respects to Norma's family. I stood way back hidden from view, choosing to lean up against a old Post oak tree for I was biding my time to approach this hallowed ground.
Her parent s were the last to leave that evening as the clear, warm March day had turned into a coolish evening. A low rolling thunder could be heard back in the south.
In the distance I could across the meadow hear a dove's mating cooing sound, one of the first true sounds of springtime in the south.
As her parents started out of the long drive in thier new car, I slid around the tree, so I would not be noticed, but her DAD had allready seen me and pulled right up beside the tree, rolled down his window and handed out to me in a gesture a envelope with my name on the front. He said, he had been given stern instructions when to give this note to me.
As they drove out of sight, and with trembling fingers I opened this note, in part it said:
Snookums, my best buddy
please do not stand at my grave and cry
for I am not there
I am the wind in the willows
I am the sun upon your face
I am the smell of the fall rain
I am the thunder in the distance
I am the sparkle on the snow
I am the dirt between your toes
I am the song in your heart
all these things you taught me to love in this life
I just wished I had more time to been your wife!
please, do not stand at my grave and cry
For, am not there
I am the whipporwill in may
I am dove, far, far away
I will be watching over you my love
and if I see you troubled, I will return to you
bringing, soltice, as a yellow winged butterfly with black spots.
"Winnie the Pooh"
to be cont'd
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