October 20, 1999
fast food restaurant
we sat in the bright, cold, ugly, noisy fast food restaurant, nearing the end of what i thought was going to end up being a rather useless and frustrating few hours.
but somehow, somewhere, an interesting conversation broke through. i think it happened when we were discussing hereditary traits with her, and we started talking about her father. i learned things i had never known.
her father had been in world war one, a sharpshooter, in the trenches. fighting in the battle of the somme. at some point he was seriously injured. (years later an acquaintance said "you're still alive?! we left you for dead!") he met his wife after the war and enjoyed a number of good years. there were two children. she was the second. when she was a small child, her father's health began to falter. she remembers the necessity of quiet in the household. but she also remembers his unfailing kindness and patience. her mother could have sent him to one of the hospitals, but she chose to have him stay in the house.
she remembers the doctors amputating toes because of gangrene, plus many other operations and procedures. she remembers the frequent trips to the hospital, which seemed like fun outings to her as a child. going out on the weekend, visiting men who were very kind and gave her candy.
when she was ten, he was gone. she remembers the strength of her mother, taking care of two children alone during very difficult years.
other interesting stories followed. sharing of insights and experiences.
all in the fast food restaurant.
20 Oct 12:00 | Link | Category: From the Old Site