katie

Damn. I just found out that my wonderful, dedicated, hard-working and lovely friend Carmen died Saturday from cancer. Well, that just takes the wind out of my sails for the day, I’ll tell you. This is the second time I’ve lost someone who I truly cared for and respected in the last couple of years – and none of them were old by any standard.

Carmen was a hoot – she and Edna over at her place and me at mine. We pinched pennies, shared windfalls and traded okra for medicines if times were hard in the state and sometimes – if you know Louisiana – times were hard. We did what we had to do to care for our folks. Along the way, there were some really good times, but there were some tragedies and then we felt as if someone had knocked the stuffing right out of us. I felt that way today when I found out about Carmen.

Aside from everything, we always had humor and that is how I am going to remember you as well, old friend. With humor and gentleness in my heart. I know you busted it for so many years to do everything you could to help folks addicted to any kind of substance. You were there more than twelve hours a day most times. No one could have done what you did better and so many lives are all the better for you having been on the face of this earth. You never sought fame or fortune – just personal satisfaction at having been ‘of use’. As far as I am concerned on that score – you deserved plenty of medals that I know you never got.

What I’ll remember about you more than anything was what we did when the stress was just grating us down to powder. We made magic – just like little girls playing mud pies outside in the sun – we made magic. Cookie and the Cupcakes – remember? Singing our little swamp pop or doo wop song with hand movements and choreography to boot! That’s what we called the three of us when we were being ‘simply foolish’ for a little while so that we could carry on under fire. Those ‘little whiles’ are ones that I will cherish as long as I live, Carmen.

So, one more time for old times sake. Line up and get ready – where’s Edna? Here we go…. It’s showtime!

Last edited by katie on June 11, 2009, 10:13 pm