I laid on the couch watching the sunny blue sky and puffy clouds, and couldn’t help but notice the group of kids making their way home from Folger. Jealous, very jealous, that I was stuck inside while everyone was outside playing. And then there was a knock on the door. My FRIENDS! They handed my mom a box, yelled to me to get better, and told me they’d see me tomorrow.
Being the highlight of my boring day watching soap operas with mom, I propped myself up from the couch to open the box. Tissues. Stickers. Fancy pencils and paper, you know just in case I didn’t make it out alive from the cold and had to write them a letter and mail it ACROSS THE STREET. And magazines, but not just any magazines, THE COOL ONES!! People, Teen, BOP and Tiger Beat…ones that I had never owned because Alberta only subscribed to Better Homes and Gardens. All enclosed with a small note: “Feel better! -J.C.C.” I flipped through the pages, getting the latest scoop on Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and couldn’t help but feel like I had the best friends in the world, with the biggest hearts.
They handed me a mask to put on as the hood on my navy blue sweatshirt flopped over my face, and an IV hanging out of my arm as I shivered on the stretcher in the ER triage. I texted Mom, “I want to go home.” And sure enough a few minutes later she walked in, she tried to hide the tears, but I had the flu, I wasn’t blind. It was the best face I had seen all day. We made it home and she pulled out her bag and told me she brought me some magazines. And although the selection was a bit different from all those years ago, the gesture meant just the same. I have the best friends in the world, with the biggest hearts. Thank you mom, I love you!
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