What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Sadness

Two people that I "know" have died in the past week. One last Tuesday and I just found about about another this morning.

The first was a man in our community that did a lot for the school system. He was a major Band Booster and raised a lot of money for the school. He also volunteered to be a Crossing Guard on a very dangerous part of the highway. Big trucks go speeding past on this four lane highway and sometimes the kids run across when there is still a car coming in the fourth lane. Iis very scary to watch. So, Joe volunteered to cover it. Last week Joe was driving home and he saw an accident ahead on the road. I don't know all the particulars, but he soon realized it was his son's car involved in the accident. The details are hazy after this, but apparently after his son got loaded into the ambulance, Joe grabbed his chest and fell down with a heart attack and died. He was only 55 and had four children. I still don't know what has happened with the son in the accident. One of his son's is in my son's class. His daughter is a special little friend of mine from when I subbed. My heart aches for those kids.

The second is a lady that works at Wal-Mart in the Housewares department. She has worked there for years and years. Her sister, two daughters and three grandchildren all work in the same store. Everyone, including the employees and the customers caled her "Granny". She was a super sweet lady that always had a minute to visit and she always called me "Hon." I spoke with her a week ago and she told me how tired she was due to the remodeling of the store. Her department had been near the backroom. But, now it is in the Garden Center and she was walking the width of the store 20 - 30 times a day. She told me she was very excited to get her new department set up. She was working Saturday afternoon and had a heart attack - right there in Wal-Mart with all her family in the store working too. They called the amubulance, but she could not be revived. Her daughter dates the father of the litle girl's that live next door to me. They are always bringing their newest baby dolls over that "Granny" bought them. It is all so very sad.

Although I didn't really know these people that well, I will miss them both. I will miss seeing Joe at the Cross Walk and Granny in Wal-Mart.

It's sad how people are there one minute and then they are not.

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:43 PM

    You are right about people being there one minute and gone the next. Another secretary at the univ. where I worked died in a car wreck near our office two years ago. I did not know her, but it bothered me for a long time because of the sad loss for her family and because it made me (and others) realized how it could have been one of us. She went the same way to work I went every morning...she was just about 10 minutes ahead of me. Everyone in both cars was killed. Very sad. Libby

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  2. I'm sorry Shara for the loss of the two people in your community. The story about the crossing guard is almost like a movie. How very sad.

    My condolences.

    Lucy

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  3. Shara, just remember we are all connected in spirit.

    One of our elem. schools has a "grandpa" crossing guard that has been there for yeeeears. He is in ill health and it will break my heart when he passes. My nieces attended that school for only one yr., but everytime he sees me he asks how they are, BY NAME. Some people are just THAT special.

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  4. Ah, Shara I'm so sorry about the loss of these two people. You seem to have wonderful memories of them both and that's what you need to keep close to your heart. Take care.

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  5. Anonymous12:46 AM

    We have a janitor at the elementary school where my kids went. He is the dearest man and shares his soul. His wife is a recluse so he is alone unless at school. He only works in the afternoon yet knows all the kids and everything they need-he is the MOST terrific man! It is amazing how people that pass our lives are treasures and we can only hope to be thought of so well in others. My heart breaks for the YOUNG father OMG-how heartbreaking. I hope the family gets on ok. Only 55 how sad!

    Chrisx4

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  6. Oh Shara...what sad stories. Thank you for sharing them with us... prayers to their families!

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