My old friend, Carmen, my Dad's cousin and Mom and Dad's friend, died last Saturday, and I just found out today: the day of the funeral. I've been thinking about her so much, planning to call, what I would say to her, planning to go see her when the weather would allow... I wanted so badly to go to the funeral and I don't remember feeling this sad even when Mom died. I felt sorry for myself that I couldn't go to the funeral to be with her friends and family, sorry that I couldn't talk to her again, sorry for losing the connection to someone else who loved Mom and Dad. I figured out today that she was more like an aunt to me than any of my real aunts. Of course she was our neighbor as I was growing up too. But, when I saw her last Fall, she told me she was okay with dying, but she'd like to finish these last two quilts for her grandchildren. She got pretty close and some friends put the backing on, had one of them quilted for her and put the binding on so they would be finished and ready for Christmas. And Carmen knew that they would be finished.
When Dad died, Carmen put a nickel in his pocket as he laid in the casket so he'd have a stake for playing cards in Heaven. Today is his birthday and he and Carmen were such good friends. I think that they're having a card party tonight and Carmen's trying to win her nickel back.
Good by, old friend. I love you.
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