I remember exactly how I felt when I arrived at work one summer day nine years ago. I don't remember everything but I remember how I felt. I felt annoyed. I had to employ my most powerful mental filter because what I really wanted to say to my boss at the time was, "What the hell? Where are your social skills? You could easily say hello or good morning first." What he said to me as I walked in the door with my backpack, my lunch,and my motorcycle helmet under my arm was, "I thought you were in a motorcycle accident in Andover last night."
What I did say was, "Why would you say that?"
My boss heard about a motorcycle accident in Andover very close to his house. The sirens at 4 a.m. woke many people out there in the sticks. A woman was killed. Her broken body was found on a country road. Rumor had it she hit a deer because hair was found on her body. At the time we didn't know she was one of us. She worked at the same place and she was brutally murdered by her boyfriend and his brother. We didn't know the brothers faked a motorcycle accident. We didn't know the details. We didn't know the hair was not from a deer but from her boyfriend's dog. We didn't know he would leave his DNA on a baseball bat. We didn't know to what great lengths these two men would go to pretend to be innocent of murder.We didn't know that one of the brothers was a snitch for law enforcement and that fact would lead them both to a lighter sentence. We didn't know how angry a powerful and successful family would get when the community would not allow these brothers to get off Scott free. We didn't know that the parents of these murderers would promise the judge not to let my coworker's daughter talk to the man who killed her mother and then hand the preschool aged girl the phone when he called from the county jail. I still don't know how my coworker's mother comes to work every day with a smile on her face and does her best to do a good job after suffering the loss of a child from extreme domestic assault.
What I do know is that I had a magical morning at the Walk For Hope in Bunker Hills Park Saturday morning. The weather was beautiful.I walked two miles in 54 minutes. I got behind a man and woman who I thought set a good pace for a long time but eventually I passed them. The tshirt I earned is orange and I like orange. It's my favorite color. The conversations I heard were pleasant and mostly about things I was interested in. I knew quite a few people from here and there. A politician gave a boring speech. A 15 year old gave an incredibly heartfelt and emotional speech that made me cry. That 15 year old girl is going to be the President of the United States someday. She used her pain of domestic abuse from a step-father to help others which in turn helps her. As I left to go to my car after the walk a 12 members women's drum team was beating drums. After walking two miles me and my old hips could not walk normally past that drum team. I was feeling so good I just had to prance a little bit as I walked by the drums.
I would have preferred to hug my coworker who would be in her late 30's by now if she had lived. Instead I stared at a red wooden silhouette of her with a plaque with her name and the details of her death. She is not defined by her death. She is defined by the loss we all feel because she isn't here. She was awesome. The Alexandria House is also awesome. I know or have known 5 women who have used the services of Alexandria House. I have hope.
2 comments:
Oh my garsh Sue I remember that horrific morning when we learned our coworker was murdered. I too have wondered how her mom also our coworker could deal with such a tragedy. I've often wondered how the little girl has been able to grow up without her mommy. She was so young when it took place and whisked off to other family members.
What possesses people to be as evil as those 2 men?
This morning I get up to turn TV on to catch the local news and another evil act took place in Vegas last night. What the hell is this world coming to? Even the killers immediate family is stunned learning of what their son has done to murder and wound over 500 innocent people enjoying an evening at a concert. Unbelievable to say the least.
I'm so fearful for what lies ahead in this world of violence, terrorism, crime, and hate for my granddaughter who is 14 and will soon face the world as an adult. She started high school this year as a Freshman. Where has the time gone??????? Just last night she and I got into a conversation when she asked me what I thought of President Trump wanting to remove many people back to their countries. She told me she has friends who are Muslims that are in fear of that happening. I told her if they are American Citizens and not here illegally they shouldn't be in fear of having to be removed. I explained it's the many people who come here that don't get citizenship that demand things from America like housing, transportation, food and welfare benefits that are the people that need to be sent back to their countries. I told Emilee there are so many Americans that are struggling and have a hard time getting help. She hugged me and said, Gramma I wish you were my teacher instead of the one I have. You just explained things to me in a way that I can totally understand better than how my teacher tells my class. My Sweetgirl Emilee!!
I come from an immigrant family. They immigrated from Germany and Poland because times were tough. I think of immigrants as brave and courageous and I think we are lucky to have them. I imagine the shooter is Las Vegas also came from an immigrant family although I am not paying attention to him. I am paying attention to the NRA and I anxiously await what they have to say about Las Vegas. I agree that Emilee is a sweet girl. Teach her about hope and love and trust. Thanks Dianne!
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