Dickie

Dickie

by Roberta Lacey

Who would imagine so much excitement could be raised on our quiet street in Bayside, New York?

It was the day before Easter in 1934. Mother had been cleaning Dickie Bird’s cage and since the doors and window were all closed, she thought Dickie would be safe. He couldn’t get very far, even if he did slip through the tiny space Mom needed in order to replace fresh water and seed, plus clean paper to line the floor of the cage. Well, that was just the time I ran into the house, leaving the rear door ajar, being unaware of what was going on in the sunny front porch where Dickie resided. A flash of something yellow went by my head as I heard my mother’s voice call out to close the door tightly!! Oh, oh, too late, I thought. Only then did I become alarmed. My mother loved that little canary. He sang clearly and frequently most of the day. His early morning chirps became sweet whistles as the cloth covering of the cage was removed.

My sister and I ran out to see if we could retrieve him. As word got around, the neighborhood kids got into the hunt. Actually, we must have frightened Dickie when he saw us jumping to reach him as he sat on a slender tree branch. The higher we reached, the higher the bird flew. Being a canary, he didn’t fly very high, but was quick in avoiding our flailing arms as he elevated from bushes to small trees. The news reached the next street and those kids came to “catch” the bird. Sonny Kapsinsky was the only one of us who kept a cool head. He told us all to stay still and be quiet. He positioned himself next to the tree and could see the frantic bird hiding among the leaves as best he could. We finally remained silent and stood like statues. Sonny very slowly moved his arms inch by inch, higher and higher. He cupped both hands around the bird as Dickie was attempting to reach another branch. He proudly presented Dickie to my Mom, who was so very grateful and thanked him profusely. The “pall” was lifted from our home and little neighborhood when word got out that Mrs. Simms’ canary was safely returned. Sonny was the hero of the day.

The next day as we got ready to go to church, we were happy to hear Dickie bird singing his song and I’m sure he was glad to be back in his safe abode away from the noisy, frantic world outside. It was Easter and all was well.

It Rained Today

It Rained Today

Betty Badgett

It rained today. Walking from the hospital to my car, it became hard to know if the tears running down my face were real tears or drops of rain.

I always knew that this day would come, and I wondered what I would do and how I would be able to handle it.

My mother passed today. I was at her bedside when she took a deep breath and rolled her eyes upward. I held her hand in mine and leaned down and whispered in her ear, “It’s ok to go home now, Mom. I’ll be alright.”

She never looked at me, but slowly let her eyelids close, and her hand go limp. I can’t explain the feeling of holding on to someone when they are leaving this life and entering into eternity. I stood there at the bedside for what seemed like an hour. My feet were cemented to the cold checkered tiled floor. I couldn’t move.

Nurses and doctors walked by. A feeling of loneliness swept over me, lingering on my shoulders. What’s the next step? I thought to myself. Just wanted to cry and scream and ask the world to stop turning, and make time stand still. I had just lost my mother and a part of my heart.

My mother’s nurse and doctor tried to comfort me and asked if there was anyone they could call to be with me. I don’t remember what I said. They allowed me time to sit and be with my thoughts.

Finally gathering the courage to leave, I leaned over and kissed her forehead and said goodbye. Memories came back like a flood. I saw myself at ten, and then at fourteen. I remember graduation day. I remembered coming in from school and smelling chicken frying, and cake baking in the oven. That was just yesterday—how did I get to today?

I summoned the courage that my mother had taught me and knew that although I was entitled to grieve, I had to carry on and do what only I could do.

It’s been a month since that rainy day that came and went taking with it a large chunk of my heart and my being. I’ve gone on with my life, working, being a mother and wife, stopping now and then to remember this special woman who gave birth to me and taught me life lessons that I am using and teaching the next generation.

On any particularly difficult day when my heart hurts so much, I allow those feelings to fill my soul and I cry. I cry for the little girl who misses her mother. I cry for the woman who misses her best friend and life coach. I cry for the mother I am now, who has stepped into the shoes my mother wore.

After all the hours of crying and grieving and then coming to the realization that death is something we all have to go through. This life is temporary. This is our life class, where we learn the lessons and do the homework so that one day we’ll be prepared to move on and graduate and transition into eternity. Knowing that whenever that time comes, my mother will be waiting with open arms to welcome me into the kingdom, allows me to smile and go on with life.