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Rated: 13+ · Short Story · Emotional · #1630868
A letter mourning the loss of someone dear and what might/should have been.
Tell Me, Wise Old Owl

My friend died 6 days and  twelve hours ago.  It was sudden an unexpected.  Any yet, as I think about it I know she died of a broken heart.  Oh, they say she bleed into the left side of her brain, but I know she died of a broken heart. 

You see she and I had a similar problem.  Sons who are in love with women who demand all of them.  But these young women don't stand with their fist and yell, “Give me!”.  They bat their eyelids and put a Bambi face on.  Or they cry and pout and say, “I don't know why your mother doesn't like me.”  And our sons are completely mesmerized by them.

My friend was very close to her son and up until this girlfriend, he had always been a very attentive and loyal son.  He had been married and divorced and dated after that.  But, he had always taken care of his mother. 

My friend had just turned 69.  She was nearing  retirement.  She was actually old enough to retire but she was such a workaholic, so she was nearing the time when she was really going to retire.  She had a beautiful home on several acres and a small in-laws quarters on a couple of acres next hers.  She was going to move her sister down so they could be close and enjoy retirement together.  There was always cookies in the cookie jar and a shoulder to cry on if needed.

Son's girlfriend came along and her son moved his mom (my friend) into the in-law living quarters and moved girlfriend and her two children into the big house.  This girlfriend criticizes his children, him everyone but herself and her two children.  In her eyes she is perfect and everyone else is flawed.  I really wish my friends son would open his eyes.

There was a big turnout for my friends funeral.  And I'm not surprised, she was well liked and had many interests, besides work.  They all signed the book with the quill pen left next to it.  And everyone talked about how kind my friend was, her quirks, the good and the bad.  They cried and laughed as they remembered her.  But no one really spoke of the sadness she was feeling the last few months.  The pain she felt of not having the son she once had.

The girlfriend found my friend, because the son was out of town.  I am so angry with myself and everyone else.  I hate that it was the son's girlfriend that found her.  I spoke to my friend earlier that day and her speech was slurred.  I should have questioned that.  It happened a couple of times in the few weeks before.  Why didn't I question it.  Why had her son drifted away from her?  Why can't he see what his girlfriend has done to the family?

My friend was like a big sister.  No one could give me a harder time, but know one worried about me as much as she did, and no one loved me like her.  I miss her soooo much.  I can't imagine the future without her.  It doesn't seem possible.  Each morning with matches in hand I say a prayer for my friend as I light a candle.

I spoke to my spiritual counselor today, she said my friend is watching over me, surrounding me with love.  She said my friend is in a warm and loving transitional phase still.

Why did my friend go so soon?  Why did the girlfriend find her?  Why didn't I question things more?  Could I have done something to prevent her passing?  I have had nightmares about it.  When we remove the masks we sometimes wear, what is there?

In some Indian cultures the Owl is seer of deception.  Please Owl, Tell me what do you see when you fly over my friends house?

Word count 662
© Copyright 2009 Jessica A. Martinez (tmlightworker at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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