Those Multiple 'Ring Ring' Moments

It was at least forty seven times a day (on average) that I would call my Mother and vice-versa.    We would chat; I always called to let her know I got to work safely every day (was always a concern of hers for some reason, LOLOL), etc. 

Many calls were just to say hi and hear each other’s voices.  Every night we spoke to say good night and squeeze in that “sleep tight, I love you” moment. 

Often I called for no reason at all and found my mother catching on and answering the phone and saying either “WHAT?!”  or “Speak oh great one” or if I was really pestering her that day my call was answered with just “SPEAK.”

I remember the very late night calls during football season on the occasional Thursday, Sunday or Monday night games when the Philadelphia Eagles played.  She always went to sleep before the end of the late night games, but could not get a full night’s sleep without knowing the final score so she would call me late at night or early morning and ask “did those ‘beagles’ lose?”  I would always answer honestly and say “yes!”  She always replied, “Good, sleep tight, I love you.”

Of course not every call was a joy ..

There was that one call in December 2009 where I checked in to let her know I had a ‘little’ car accident, she asked where I was and I was honest in saying “oh you know just sitting upside down on the expressway.”  She was not amused.

Less than a year later, May of 2010 she called me at 4:02AM stating “I can’t breathe; I think I have pneumonia, should I go to the hospital?”  I was not amused.  

Thankfully those above two calls ended on a happy note, my flipped car was totaled, but I was not and walked away not even a scratch and after over a week in the hospital with double pneumonia, my Mommy came home and all was well :-> 

We continued our phone call routine daily, much of those conversations were about nothing at all and everything at the same time as we heard each other’s voices and that was simply beautiful. 

September 3, 2011, late at night we spoke to each other and shared our “sleep tight, I love you” moment.  That was our very last phone call.

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Every day I still grab my cell phone to call Mommy just to say hi, let her I know I arrived safely and hear her voice.  Her cell and home phone number are still programmed as ‘Kathleen Vermitsky’ and will remain that way.  I always stop myself and smile instead as I know she is watching over me and knows my where abouts and no doubt helped me arrive safely where ever I go :->  

A Childhood Remembered During A 26.2 Mile Journey

“Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.” - L.M. Montgomery

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At the sound of whistles blown and gunshots fired in the air, we were off like thousands of ants running out of an ant hill we flooded the boards of Cape May New Jersey.  We continued along Ocean Drive, over 4 drawbridges through the fishing port of Lower Township onto the Wildwoods and along the full length of the boardwalk and then through Middle Township on into the island communities of Stone Harbor and Avalon finishing in Sea Isle City.

The wind was fierce as the sand was blowing and clung to the sweat on my skin with every mile accomplished.  My mind drifted as I began to reminisce of visiting each shore point with my family when I was younger.  The smell of fudge and Johnson’s popcorn, the taste of Curley’s fries, Mack and Manco’s pizza and Shelly’s chocolate ice cream.  A few more miles down as I continued my reminiscing remembering the sounds of laughter, sea gulls, amusement park rides, arcade games at Gateway 26 and of course my whining and screaming “daddy carry me” after we walked the full length of the Wildwoods boardwalk and had to venture back.  That few mile stretch from the crest to the north end seemed longer than the yellow brick road journey from The Wizard of Oz as my legs were short at four years old and I was tired, so after much pleading with a few tears shed daddy did carry me all the way back.

More miles down as I continued to remember the sights, sounds and feelings of visiting the shore points when I was younger.

As I approached the final mile ultimately crossing the finish line, I sit here writing reminiscing of the greatest sight, sound and feeling of my times at the Jersey Shore.  The sight was my Mother excitedly waving to me, the sound was her voice yelling “yay Danielle” as she clapped and the feeling was the hug we shared after completing my first 26.2 mile journey.

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This past weekend, Hurricane Sandy devastatingly took away most of those shore points and early September 2011 when my Mother passed she left countless folks devastated, but no one could ever take away the memories encountered, shared, loved and remembered.  Times of devastation bring upon unwanted and scary memories, but also bring hope and opportunity to regroup, rebuild and create new memories and happy times.  Each memory whether it be happy or devastating offer a message and just like the few mile stretch of the Wildwoods Boardwalk as a little kid, the possibilities and opportunities are endless and we must never forget what was, but simultaneously anticipate with excitement of what will be.