I keep thinking about my cousin who has just entered assisted living and what kind of life she has led all these years and her kindness. I sometimes thought she had a sixth sense at times when I needed her the most. She always spoke softly to me and I never saw her complain. She had 4 amazing children and 13 grandchildren and now one great grandchild. She fell and broke her hip and is recouping from that. She can get around pretty well with her walker. When I went to see her, three of her grandchildren were there to visit and help. She said, "Don't I have wonderful grandchildren Chris?" I agreed of course. One thing that always stuck with me was on my 27th or 28th birthday she called me. I was still living with my parents and my mother had to work that Sunday evening. My father was not happy that day and started to yell at me for never telling him what happened when I fell off that roof and broke my back. I knew I told my parents and everyone what had happened, but he either forgot or just wanted an argument. So I told him the story again. I told him I was on the flat low roof at first shoveling shingles into a wheelbarrow, I was then asked to go on the higher raked roof and I did. We took a break and we went back up. I was too scared to stand on the roof and shovel, so I sat on the edge and grabbed the old shingles and threw them in the truck below. I didn't remember anything after that until I was in midair and was falling. And that was that. "And you just went, didn't you!" He was anything but happy. Later, my cousin called. "Happy Birthday Chris!" Thank God a sweet kind voice on the other end of the phone. I was relieved it was someone kind like Alma. She talked to me about her gum surgery and said, "Floss Chrissy, floss!" She made sure to keep in touch with me after my mother and father died and has kept me abreast of all that has happened with her family. For awhile it seemed I was on her payroll. When I had my breast reduction, she sent me a check and said in the card, "You're going to need some new clothes." When I first came home from the hospital after I broke my back, she sent me a check. I was going to a friend's wedding the day after I got home from being in the hospital for ten weeks, she said, "I figured you would need money for a wedding gift." It was so thoughtful. Different holidays, she would send a card with a check. Now she is getting a little bit forgetful but before Christmas I got a card. I was in shock that she even thought of me at this time. I checked with her daughter and said that I knew she must have helped. Her daughter said I was first on her list and they couldn't get out a lot because her attention span was short. Honestly? I felt honored. I'm no longer on the payroll but I'm fine with that.
