Friday, May 25, 2012

The Last Hurrah



“Lightening crashes and a Mother Dies” – Live

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“If you’re going to go then you might as well go out in style” – Kathleen Vermitsky

My mother did indeed utter those words above in her lifetime; many years ago as we had a series of deaths including family and friends each one of them had a final living send off where they saw people they had not seen in a while, the final living send off was a party full of great times and lasting memories.

It was November 2007 when my Uncle Paul turned fifty.  My Aunt MaryAnn had a nice party for him and we trekked to VA to attend.  My great Uncle Paul (Ounfer) said, “I’ll go as long as Danielle drives, she is such a pleasant driver and I enjoy our time together.”

Anyway, my great Uncle Paul was going, which was a shocker as he had never been to the area, he was content just seeing the family when they came to NJ.  The party was a great time, after much chardonnay Great Uncle Paul gave a speech – it involved a peacock and a mow hawk and I forget the exact details, but everyone enjoyed the story, laughed and toasted to it.

We all had a blast!

Less than a month later, my Great Uncle Paul passed away.

My mother was beside herself and did not know what to do, he was a prime example of a father figure to her – certainly more than her own father ever was.  She did speak of the party and how Uncle Paul saw everyone before he passed and isn’t that strange, I replied “yes, eerie you never know.”    

Fast forward to 2011, my mother and I were shopping at the mall and went in Bath and Body works where she ran into an old friend from a Child Care organization, Family Tree.  We had not seen the lady in years, but alas we were reconnected.

Similar instances happened with ‘run ins’ from folks we have not seen in years, many times.

It was Labor Day weekend and my mother had the bright idea to have a BBQ.  We NEVER have BBQ’S, but we did that weekend on September 3, 2011.  It was a great time from what I heard and attended.  Lots of laughing and crazy times with many ‘tingling’ moments and only a select few will know what I mean by that.  Point being, memories were made and cherished.

September 4, 2011 we all woke up to get ready for Steven’s Christening – everyone EXCEPT my mother.  It was a shock to say the least that she passed away throughout the night - however when I look back, I pinpoint all those unaccountable times when my mother reunited with folks and had a final word, it makes you wonder.

I share this piece because we are approaching Memorial Day Weekend which in conjunction goes hand and had with Labor Day Weekend so it too becomes a melon collie situation.  Every day of my life, let alone holidays will never be the same.  I must say, she did go out in style, but unfortunately that party was her ‘Last Hurrah.’

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