Yesterday, Baby Ya called me on my cell and told me that when I got home, I needed to get my butt over to Burge Florist - because, until they closed on Saturday (and as part of a weekly promotion), they were giving away free bouquets to anyone named "Mary".
This morning I did as I was told, and presented myself to pick up the flowers - which turned out to be a nice fall bouquet.
With bouquet in hand, I then responded to another "command performance" and dropped in on my Mother.
Mama was not actually at home, but at the home of her best friend - a fellow retired teacher who has advanced Alzheimer's Disease. Mama's friend (who no longer recognizes me even though she's known me most of life), is in Clapp's nursing home after falling & breaking her hip at the assisted-living facility where she'd been living for a year (nobody's fault - she basically tripped over her feet while walking back to her room after a meal).
Mama manages her friend's affairs and is the executor of her friend's estate. This weekend, she is assisting the friend's daughter (also named Mary - she lives out-of-state) in cleaning out the house in preparation for sale.
It's a daunting/emotionally overwhelming task. When I arrived, Mary looked like she had been hit by a truck. For the briefest moment, I thanked God for my good fortune in that (due to hardy Eastern North Carolina genetics) Mama remains healthy and of sound mind.
I told Mary about the florist and the free bouquet - and then gave it to her. I told her that I thought she needed it more than I did.
And, for the briefest of moments, she smiled.
She said she'd put the flowers in a vase, enjoy them today and then take them to her Mother.
And that, my friends, is how you pay it forward.
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2 comments:
Congrats. Burge always does a nice job.
So very aptly put young lady for that is exactly how it is done.
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