Marie Rocks

Two years ago this March, I lost a dear friend of mine to breast cancer. I had the pleasure of spending a lot of time with Marie during the last couple of weeks of her life and throughout the course of her illness. It's true her appearance was altered because of the cancer and its treatment, but her personality was completely intact. It was still so great to hang out with her. I even wrote out my Christmas/Chanukah cards one year, while I sat with her during her chemo session. Everyday that I visited her, we would have lengthy discussions and she would prove to me that she had even more grace and class then ever before (if that's possible). She was every bit Marie- witty, funny, stubborn, kind, giving and of course ornery (and I say that with truly the greatest affection).

I remember clearly the last time I spoke with her. I called to say I wouldn't be stopping by the hospital that day because I was having a tooth extracted. She knew Mike was away on business, so she wondered who would be picking up my twin sons at the bus stop and what kind of help I had lined up to keep them occupied afterwards. I told her my tooth was being taken out while they were in school, and that I would be totally fine until I could pop a painkiller after they went to bed. She kept saying she didn't feel good about that at all and I just kept saying don't worry about me. When I got home from the dentist there was a message on my machine from Marie. She said that she was indeed worried about me, and was sending her mother over at 3:30 to help me with my sons. I called her at the hospital and told her that I had the tooth pulled and was totally fine and to tell her mother not to bother. She simply replied, "No". At least 4 more times I tried to convince Marie to give her mom a break. Each time I was met with a stern "No", albeit in a weakened but no less assertive tone. Well, not only did her mom meet me at the bus stop, but she came bearing french fries for my kids, which Marie knew was their favorite vegetable. Needless to say, my kids were thankful for the fries but let her mom know that next time she shouldn't forget to bring the milkshakes, chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers.

What a thoughtful and wonderful memory Marie left me with. About a week later, I told this story in front of at least two hundred people at her funeral (why did she have to be so damn popular?). Afterall, she understood all along that people would mourn her death(against her better judgment), but she sure as hell wanted them to have a little giggle in the midst of it.