Love You to the Moon and Back

A Real Life Story by Glenn Hansen

Dedicated to Sweet Judith, wherever you are in God’s universe.

CHAPTER 2

As I stand at the doorway, from experience, I am anticipating one of two scenarios. My friend will either be sitting up looking pensively positive, or she will be seriously “out cold” sleeping. In part, the “out cold” is due to the medications she is receiving. Judy is still pretty and emanates a pretty spirit, in spite of her advancing cancer, at least to my eye. I love her as a close friend. Is it a romantic love? I’ll never know because the circumstance of our relationship never allowed for that notion. She is connected to oxygen twenty-four seven.   

As I gingerly step through the doorway, I can see she is “out cold” sleeping. Every time this happens I have a fast moving major debate as to whether or not to wake her. On the one hand, I know she loves our visits as do I, and gives me heck for not waking her up. On the other hand, we both know how important her sleep is, especially at this stage of her illness. I also consider the purity of my motivations. Why? It’s just the way I am. As I get older and understand more, I increasingly strive to be pure of heart. Is this a good thing? I believe it is. Ultimately, I always choose to not wake her.

I linger for a moment to look at her. Many different thoughts roll through my little brain like an old time news reel they used to show at the movies before my time. This was also where you would see the wonderful and brilliant Warner Bros. cartoons that are so familiar to many of us thanks to television and then streaming. I pull out a business card and on the back draw the “U with two dots” smiley face and sign my first name. I quietly place the card, message side up, on the adjustable table/tray next to the bed. I take one last look at her and then depart. I have mixed emotions about what has just transpired.

I make my way back downstairs, usually on the elevator, but occasionally down the adjoining staircase just because. Sometimes, to test myself, I will use the stairs to climb up to her floor to ascertain my current state of health. I’m older now, so I am a little more wary of my conditioning. I am determined to not drop into too much of a sedentary lifestyle. It’s at times like this I appreciate still having a youthful mindset. More experienced, but still youthful. I wouldn’t want to have it any other way. I still have hopes and dreams.    

On my way out I again pass by the security table at the entrance which is now the exit, lol. As I stated before, the security people are very pleasant, which is a must in a special, caring facility like the one I’m visiting. I did take a special shine to one of them who I often see given the frequency of my visits, an exceedingly welcoming man in his thirties. So much so, that I gave him money for a coffee one time which he very reluctantly accepted. The next time though, he gracefully refused my offer. It was then I realized he was not supposed to accept any kind of gratuity and that he only took the coffee money the first time around to not offend me by rejecting it. His heart was in a good place.

As I somewhat briskly walked by the healthcare centre’s windows back to my car parked on the side street, I again saw the piano player in the window.