I grew up in a little town of about 600 in Alberta. When the new hospital was built, the old hospital (already a house-like structure) was converted into a livable house area and rented out. We lived there for a brief spell when I was a young lass. The main floor was the only space we occupied, and the upstairs was closed off as it was still uncoverted from the old hospital rooms they had been.
One day when I was at home alone after school, I was standing in the kitchen area and could suddenly hear this very heavy breathing coming from the hall leading towards the bedrooms. At first I thought it was maybe our dog Dobey having a pretty intense sleep. But when I went to look for him, he was sleeping in the front of the house by the door. So it wasn't him.
I very cautiously started to walk down the hall to investigate, my heart going a million miles an hour. By the time I got to my dad's bedroom, it was getting louder and louder. That was all I could take. I quickly turned around, beat a quick path to the door, grabbed the dog and went crying down the street to find someone I knew. I found my dad who came back to the house to find out what in god's name was going on.
To this day, I don't know know that we ever found out what or where the breathing was coming from. And needless to say, we didn't live in that house very much longer after that. A few years after I had graduated and moved away, it was demolished. Hopefully it took all its mouth breathing spirits with it. Because I'm pretty sure that's what it was.
Tia
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Soul-Mates to the End
Making news this week is the story of a couple who had happily been married for 72 years. They were in a serious car accident and put in a room together at the hospital side by side so they could hold hands. And that's how they passed within an hour of each other - holding hands right to the end. Pretty amazing huh?
It reminded me of my very first radio job in 1992. I had moved way north to Peace River with merely a couple of suitcases and my cats. I didn't even have a car. I was living in a basement suite in the house of an elderly couple - Tim and Harriot. They had met a few years before at a seniors centre after both had been widowed. They found love again and at the age of 84 and 82, got married again.
They were the sweetest couple. Harriot clearly wore the pants, and Tim admired her to death. They treated me like one of their grandchildren. Often times I would come home at around midnight from finishing my shift at work, to find baking placed on the floor in front of my door, or a meal of some sort. There was even a point that I was trying to purchase my first car, but needed a co-signer otherwise couldn't proceed. Tim had caught wind of my banking struggles and took me down to the bank the next day to co-sign for me, no questions asked - he just offered. He barely knew me, but co-signed a car loan for me.
After 10 months of living in Peace River, I got a job in Lethbridge. The day I loaded up my new car to hit the road, Harriot had to come outside and take a picture. She always made duplicates so she could be sure to give me one too.
About 6 months into living in Lethbridge, I got a letter from Tim. Inside, Harriot's obituary - she had passed. I cried alot for missing Harriot, but I cried alot thinking of poor Tim who would be heartbroken without her. I think I had heard at one point not too long after that that he wasn't doing very well either. I didn't get anymore letters from Tim and I suspect he may have passed that year as well.
To this day I still have the letter with her obituary that he sent me. And hearing the story this week of these two long-time lovebirds passing away holding hands made me think of them again today. As sad as these stories are, here's hoping we all have that kind of love someday!
It reminded me of my very first radio job in 1992. I had moved way north to Peace River with merely a couple of suitcases and my cats. I didn't even have a car. I was living in a basement suite in the house of an elderly couple - Tim and Harriot. They had met a few years before at a seniors centre after both had been widowed. They found love again and at the age of 84 and 82, got married again.
They were the sweetest couple. Harriot clearly wore the pants, and Tim admired her to death. They treated me like one of their grandchildren. Often times I would come home at around midnight from finishing my shift at work, to find baking placed on the floor in front of my door, or a meal of some sort. There was even a point that I was trying to purchase my first car, but needed a co-signer otherwise couldn't proceed. Tim had caught wind of my banking struggles and took me down to the bank the next day to co-sign for me, no questions asked - he just offered. He barely knew me, but co-signed a car loan for me.
After 10 months of living in Peace River, I got a job in Lethbridge. The day I loaded up my new car to hit the road, Harriot had to come outside and take a picture. She always made duplicates so she could be sure to give me one too.
About 6 months into living in Lethbridge, I got a letter from Tim. Inside, Harriot's obituary - she had passed. I cried alot for missing Harriot, but I cried alot thinking of poor Tim who would be heartbroken without her. I think I had heard at one point not too long after that that he wasn't doing very well either. I didn't get anymore letters from Tim and I suspect he may have passed that year as well.
To this day I still have the letter with her obituary that he sent me. And hearing the story this week of these two long-time lovebirds passing away holding hands made me think of them again today. As sad as these stories are, here's hoping we all have that kind of love someday!
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