Yet another story
I love stories, my own and especially, other people's stories. And I love having experiences and making stories best of all. I think that is the definition of really knowing a person---is when you know their stories and can even finish telling a few of them! That's why I like hearing dreams almost as well. Dreams are a garbled story. Stories can be entertaining, informative, or just long and boring but the person telling you their story is giving you an opportunity to bond with them, to know them better. I think all of our stories are interesting. The manner of telling may get a little long-winded and tedious, but usually the story itself is interesting.
My Mom sometimes tells me the same story three or four times when I see her. Do I tell her, "I've already heard that, Mom. You already told me that story." No, that would be rude and would really hurt her feelings. It also would make her feel self-conscious about telling stories like some older people who anxiously ask before telling "Have I already told you this?" Instead I listen patiently again and maybe there's some odd detail that I missed the first or second time. If you've been around a particular older person much, you've probably heard nearly all of their stories, and more than once. Older people don't HAVE many new stories! In fact, as long as I'm giving out personal definitions, I'd say that's the definition of an old person is--no new stories. When we stop making new stories, we are old. But the young 'uns can learn from hearing those stories!
Speaking of long-winded and boring....the above is that, ha ha. Anyway, I was going to relate the story of when my Dad died. It will be six years ago tomorrow. He had been fighting cancer for ten years, up and down, some years were near normal and others, like his last year, not so good. I was working two jobs at the time but went out to see them every other week on a Sunday because I only worked nights on weekends. Ironically I had taken Thursday, Friday and Saturday off from both jobs to get that eyeball surgery done, you know, the one so you don't have to wear glasses anymore. I hadn't told my parents, as they would not approve, especially the cost of such a procedure back then. So I was uncharacteristically home when my Mom called in a panic, "I called you at work and you weren't there, Dad is dead. What do I do? What should I do?" My Mom almost never panics, over anything, so that was a small shock to go with the larger one.
I told her to call the neighbor, Mrs. Nurse and have her come to pronounce him dead. I'd heard horror stories of ambulance crews being required to try to resuscitate dead bodies. Then I told her to hang on, we were coming out to help. It took me much longer than I thought to call both jobs and request the following week off, and to call to reschedule my eye surgery. Then I had to get my son from work, pack for a week and drive out. It took me two hours before I arrived (but the drive out is 50 minutes) and by that time my older brother had come, the funeral home had come, but the neighbor nurse had come first of all so everything had gone as smoothly as one could hope under such circumstances. The next few days are a blur, when a family member dies there is a lot to be done. Plus the telephone rings non-stop from family, friends and neighbors, people appear at the door carrying food. We needed a receptionist to deal with it all!
Well, that's enough story for today. I got up on the second alarm. I set two clocks, the regular wind-up clock and my travel alarm. Neither clock uses electricity because it wasn't that dependable when we lived in the country. Anyway, the regular clock must be broken because I woke up to the second alarm and thus lost 20 minutes of my morning 45 minutes of blogging time! Have a great day!
My Mom sometimes tells me the same story three or four times when I see her. Do I tell her, "I've already heard that, Mom. You already told me that story." No, that would be rude and would really hurt her feelings. It also would make her feel self-conscious about telling stories like some older people who anxiously ask before telling "Have I already told you this?" Instead I listen patiently again and maybe there's some odd detail that I missed the first or second time. If you've been around a particular older person much, you've probably heard nearly all of their stories, and more than once. Older people don't HAVE many new stories! In fact, as long as I'm giving out personal definitions, I'd say that's the definition of an old person is--no new stories. When we stop making new stories, we are old. But the young 'uns can learn from hearing those stories!
Speaking of long-winded and boring....the above is that, ha ha. Anyway, I was going to relate the story of when my Dad died. It will be six years ago tomorrow. He had been fighting cancer for ten years, up and down, some years were near normal and others, like his last year, not so good. I was working two jobs at the time but went out to see them every other week on a Sunday because I only worked nights on weekends. Ironically I had taken Thursday, Friday and Saturday off from both jobs to get that eyeball surgery done, you know, the one so you don't have to wear glasses anymore. I hadn't told my parents, as they would not approve, especially the cost of such a procedure back then. So I was uncharacteristically home when my Mom called in a panic, "I called you at work and you weren't there, Dad is dead. What do I do? What should I do?" My Mom almost never panics, over anything, so that was a small shock to go with the larger one.
I told her to call the neighbor, Mrs. Nurse and have her come to pronounce him dead. I'd heard horror stories of ambulance crews being required to try to resuscitate dead bodies. Then I told her to hang on, we were coming out to help. It took me much longer than I thought to call both jobs and request the following week off, and to call to reschedule my eye surgery. Then I had to get my son from work, pack for a week and drive out. It took me two hours before I arrived (but the drive out is 50 minutes) and by that time my older brother had come, the funeral home had come, but the neighbor nurse had come first of all so everything had gone as smoothly as one could hope under such circumstances. The next few days are a blur, when a family member dies there is a lot to be done. Plus the telephone rings non-stop from family, friends and neighbors, people appear at the door carrying food. We needed a receptionist to deal with it all!
Well, that's enough story for today. I got up on the second alarm. I set two clocks, the regular wind-up clock and my travel alarm. Neither clock uses electricity because it wasn't that dependable when we lived in the country. Anyway, the regular clock must be broken because I woke up to the second alarm and thus lost 20 minutes of my morning 45 minutes of blogging time! Have a great day!
9 Comments:
I hope I never run out of stories...I don't want to be that old!
It's always tough when a family emmber dies. It isn't until all the hoopla dn the funeral are dealt with and over that you can really go about getting your mind around it all. It's far too surreal at the time. Once the phone calls and well wishers taper off you can really start the process in earnest. The anniversaries of such times are a great time to call family members.
I hope that neither of us runs out of new stories anytime soon. It's a scary thought for me. I don't want to go there yet. Heck, I never want to go there, but I suppose I will.
It's a special time when you hit the anniversary of a family member's death. I hope you're at a place where you can celebrate your dad's life as well as miss him.
I love listening to old peoples stories! My grandpas tales seem to grow a bit taller with every telling. Have you seen the movie Big Fish? It's great and kind of along the same lines.
PBS: My heart is with you having lost my own Father 5 years ago. I send you Love and Peace at such a tender time. lol!
My dad is 84. although he still has new stories to tell, he's fond of saying, "I guess I have more yesterdays than tomorrows."
I haven't faced anything like that yet...but I have a feeling I will soon with my father/mother-n-law...they both are doing poorly. If she would just stop talking long enough to get some rest!
I can relate to the old stories, my other does the exact same thing! Like you, i listen to them over and over just in case there may be something new ;o)
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