May 1st
Four years ago today Joe entered the hospital never to return home again. To read a detailed account of that day, click here. Now for a memory of the day.
Owen's post below got me thinking back to my high school days with Joe. We began dating when I was 15, and he was 17. he had a car, but lived an hour away. Typically he would come visit me on Saturday mornings, and spend the day, but within 6 months or so of dating he started spending entire weekends with me. In the beginning my mom made him sleep downstairs, but soon gave up and let him sleep in my room.
My first year of dating Joe I was a bit of an emotional mess. I had a lot going on in my family, and I hate to complain about it because many others went through similar upsets in their families, but I just took it very hard.
Owen mentioned in his entry that my mom was hardly ever around, and I think that's a pretty accurate account. She wasn't neglectful or anything. She was just busy living her life, and kind of left me to live mine.
Joe was my rock. Even at 17 he was my rock. I would call him in the middle of the night sobbing, and he would drive an hour to be with me. I would fall apart on a date, and he would just hold me in his arms. He was very protective of me, and tried his best to help me through my emotional upsets. (Again, nothing crazy, just family upheaval that many others faced.)
One morning I had a fight with my mother. I don't remember what it was about, but it was big. I called Joe from school all upset. Within an hour he was at my school (He was a senior and was already done for the year. It must have been early June.) He waited for me to finish my classes then we got in his car. I asked him where we were going, and he wouldn't tell me.
We drove north to New Hampshire and ended up at Canobie Lake Park, a local amusement park. He led me to the biggest roller coaster there, and he told me that my life was like a roller coaster right now, with lots of huge highs, and lots of low lows. He promised me that he would ride them out with me, the highs and the lows.
We got on the roller coaster and held hands tightly as it went up and down, up and down. "I'm with you, Betsy," he said each time it reached the top and we were waiting for the descent. "I'm with you."
And he was. He stuck with me through some really hard times. He was a good man, even at 17.
-b
Owen's post below got me thinking back to my high school days with Joe. We began dating when I was 15, and he was 17. he had a car, but lived an hour away. Typically he would come visit me on Saturday mornings, and spend the day, but within 6 months or so of dating he started spending entire weekends with me. In the beginning my mom made him sleep downstairs, but soon gave up and let him sleep in my room.
My first year of dating Joe I was a bit of an emotional mess. I had a lot going on in my family, and I hate to complain about it because many others went through similar upsets in their families, but I just took it very hard.
Owen mentioned in his entry that my mom was hardly ever around, and I think that's a pretty accurate account. She wasn't neglectful or anything. She was just busy living her life, and kind of left me to live mine.
Joe was my rock. Even at 17 he was my rock. I would call him in the middle of the night sobbing, and he would drive an hour to be with me. I would fall apart on a date, and he would just hold me in his arms. He was very protective of me, and tried his best to help me through my emotional upsets. (Again, nothing crazy, just family upheaval that many others faced.)
One morning I had a fight with my mother. I don't remember what it was about, but it was big. I called Joe from school all upset. Within an hour he was at my school (He was a senior and was already done for the year. It must have been early June.) He waited for me to finish my classes then we got in his car. I asked him where we were going, and he wouldn't tell me.
We drove north to New Hampshire and ended up at Canobie Lake Park, a local amusement park. He led me to the biggest roller coaster there, and he told me that my life was like a roller coaster right now, with lots of huge highs, and lots of low lows. He promised me that he would ride them out with me, the highs and the lows.
We got on the roller coaster and held hands tightly as it went up and down, up and down. "I'm with you, Betsy," he said each time it reached the top and we were waiting for the descent. "I'm with you."
And he was. He stuck with me through some really hard times. He was a good man, even at 17.
-b
6 comments:
That is so incredibly beautiful. Thank you for sharing that memory.
What a wonderful memory to have. He certainly was a good man.
That's a good one. :o)M
I love this memory.
amazing, b. xo-ej
I'm so glad you are sharing these memories!
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