dona's 365

When Jill married Gordon less than a year after Larry died some folks were shocked, but Gordon was exactly what she needed. He’s smart, quiet, gentle and kind. He was the high school nerd when he attended classes with the Twins who called him “high pockets”. They respect him now.

Jill got pregnant in college, dropped out and had three more children after that. Always upbeat, the only time I ever saw her upset was when her plans to return to school were ruined when her husband lost his job. She’s now remarried to a great guy and raises alpacas.

I never remember my mom ’s best friend’s husband, Larry, serious. Even early in the morning he was the “life of the party”, and when he lost his third job he laughed about it. I thought he was just a fun grown-up until he was diagnosed with cirrhosis. Then I understood.

The night I babysat for Mike and Karen * and he screamed at her because I left the bathroom light on made me vow to make him uncomfortable each time we ended up in the same room. Luckily we rarely meet anymore; the older I get, the meaner I can be. *Honestly - this is a different Mike and Karen than the ones I wrote about before .

My mom’s friend Karen had a personality that made a teenager feel at home. I’d ride my bike to her house just to talk. That’s why I still get sad remembering her apologies for not remembering our conversations after electro-shock therapy. Last known address: the Douglas Hotel, a homeless shelter.

Although he looks like he’d fit in more comfortably in a garden , guarding the flowers, than in a building, Larry seems at ease in most social situations. He loves to eat and to treat his friends and friends of friends to fine meals. Most importantly, he makes my mom happy.

Early on I really liked Neil. He was friendly and could talk to teenagers. Soon, though, I saw his other side and the last time I saw him he was in his underwear screaming profanities at my brother to stop shooting off firecrackers at our family house by the lake.