(no subject)
Monday evening, my former co-worker and friend of 20 years (who I'll call D.) texted with me around 6:30 p.m. We're both crazy cat ladies with several kitties though this time we had a brief conversation about anti-virus programs. Around 8 p.m. she called the house phone. I answered with a chipper greeting. She replied, her voice high pitched and quavering, "S is dead." I thought no, that can't be right. S is her husband. She must have meant one of the cats. Then she repeated it. The paramedics and sheriff's deputies were there. I got my cats in from the porch, locked up the house and was on the road within minutes. The half hour drive to her house took no time and took forever and there are still parts of the trip I don't clearly recall.
She had pulled into her driveway after work and texted me from the car. Right after texting with me, she had gone into her house and found S sprawled on his back on the bedroom floor. Two of the cats were under the bed, two others were on it. All were upset and staring at his body. She called 911, but it was far too late.
By the time I got there, the EMTs had gone, R - one of her bosses from work - was with her as was a deputy. R stayed for a bit after I arrived, but had her young son with her and had to leave. Soon after that, our friend L arrived, looking as shaken as I felt. Together, we waited for the funeral home to come take S away. D was unable to stay still. Fidgeting, pacing, obsessively checking on the cats time and again, she alternated between crying and railing in anger at S for leaving her. Twice she went into the room where he was and spoke to him, saying her goodbyes in choked breaths between tears.
S was only 50. They had just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. They had also just mourned the loss of his father who passed right after Christmas and his mother wasn't handling that well. The pastor arrived hard on the heels of the funeral home transport team. The deputy passed along pertinent information to one funeral worker while the other sat with D and the pastor. I was quite relieved to let Pastor take charge as was L. Once S was gone, the deputy left. L and I returned to our homes. And the pastor took D to tell her mother in law that her son was dead.
She had pulled into her driveway after work and texted me from the car. Right after texting with me, she had gone into her house and found S sprawled on his back on the bedroom floor. Two of the cats were under the bed, two others were on it. All were upset and staring at his body. She called 911, but it was far too late.
By the time I got there, the EMTs had gone, R - one of her bosses from work - was with her as was a deputy. R stayed for a bit after I arrived, but had her young son with her and had to leave. Soon after that, our friend L arrived, looking as shaken as I felt. Together, we waited for the funeral home to come take S away. D was unable to stay still. Fidgeting, pacing, obsessively checking on the cats time and again, she alternated between crying and railing in anger at S for leaving her. Twice she went into the room where he was and spoke to him, saying her goodbyes in choked breaths between tears.
S was only 50. They had just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. They had also just mourned the loss of his father who passed right after Christmas and his mother wasn't handling that well. The pastor arrived hard on the heels of the funeral home transport team. The deputy passed along pertinent information to one funeral worker while the other sat with D and the pastor. I was quite relieved to let Pastor take charge as was L. Once S was gone, the deputy left. L and I returned to our homes. And the pastor took D to tell her mother in law that her son was dead.