A family lived in the
house next door to us for many years, but about two or three years ago, without
moving out, Mrs. Neighbor started coming only to get the mail. A gardener comes once a
year. The girls have grown up and gone off to college and career. We heard the
dad was an attorney in New York for a famous celebrity, but we have never seen
him.
I see Mrs. Neighbor once in a while and wave, but she is not the
most friendly gal. In fact, she is a
little different. I am sure she is brilliant, and her two daughters the
same. But for the years they were
actually living next door, we saw an accumulation of newspapers, boxes, tools
and whatever, that would grow along the porch and then into the driveway. Christmas lights were strung along the
sidewalk for years, and were still working until last summer. She never put her
name on the mail box, in fact “The
smiths” name is still on it. But she
had been staying elsewhere and in the meantime raccoons had moved in. The lady across
the street saw the exterminators come and take away crates of those little fellows . That
gives you a little picture into this
interesting family.
Well, yesterday, Mrs. N.
was there. One of her daughters was there. A Big crew was there and were cleaning up and carrying away LOTS.
Hard to say lots of what, but for the first time in maybe 20 years, we
can see inside the office and from the street it looks empty.
I didn't see any of the people, until I was leaving to go to the dentist and by
then....
an aid car had arrived
and was taking Mrs. N. to Overlake Hospital.
She was having chest pain. There was too much going on in the street, Two fire
trucks, several cars and many people, so I could not get through to catch her
daughter before I had to leave.
Today I went to Bible
Study and felt burdened to pray for her and the other ladies did too.
When I got home from
Bible Study and I was thinking about her, but didn't do anything.
I just thought about my
little self and took a little nap.
When I got up, I knew I
had to run an errand and when I got out of the garage I realized I had a text
from Nita
Was she coming over?
I need to call her – “ no, not today,
maybe tomorrow.” she said.
Well.... I said,
could you do me a favor and call Overlake and see if our neighbor is still there and if she is call me back?
(Since I was already in
the car and on my way, she did the calling for me. )
Ok.
So I continued on and
soon the phone rang
She is at Overlake.
So,
I went on my errand,
bought a plant, and went to Overlake.
When I got to her room
there was a sign on the door. No admittance, check with the nurses.
So, I did. And they
checked with Mrs. N . And she said no visitors.
Well, I handed the
plant to
the nurse and asked her
to give it to her. I told her " she knows me, I live right next door"
A voice came from the room "kathy" I didn't
recognize you, come in."
So I did.
It is so hard to know
what to talk about, but she seemed surprised and pleased to see me. Thanked me.
She said "Darrell said he would take care of
things, and I guess it worked" ( he said he would pray for her)
Said she hoped to go
home this evening. We chatted for just a couple minutes and then
she said
"I would hug you,
but I don't know what I might give you".
I should have hugged
her. I wish I had. But I told her that I need to stay healthy for my
young grandsons,
one I am taking care of
on Saturday.
I told her to let me
know if I could do anything. ( You know, the usual sort of offers, but I hope
she knew I was serious)
I also said we would
keep praying for her.
Now you can pray for her
too.