I first met Irene when my oldest child was 2 or 3, and we were both helping with a summer program at our school. A year or so later she joined the choir I was directing. Her husband bought her a guitar for her birthday one year, and she worked hard, with my help, to learn how to play it.
Actually, Irene worked hard at everything. She was one of the hardest-working people I have ever met. She helped run Bingo at the school. She worked at the carnival. She worked in the lunchroom at school and volunteered in many other ways at school as well. She took good care of her husband and children. She was funny, generous and tireless. And she could, in a blind taste test, tell "Philly Coke" from "Atlanta Coke" and bottled Coke from canned. Irene and I fought our Cola Wars in good fun, for many years. 
Irene was Cuban-American and grew up in the Miami area. My most vivid memories of Irene are related to her ethnic background. She was longing for Cuban food, especially Cuban bread. Irene was a good cook but baking bread was not something she thought she could do. She lent me her cookbook (I think it was called Miami Spice) and I occasionally baked her some Cuban bread from the recipe in it. (And couldn't she tell when I used margarine instead of the lard the recipe called for!)
Just before she died, I spent the day at a church event. When I came home, I found myself pacing the floor. I could not sit down and relax. I needed to go to the hospital where she was in the hospice unit. She was semiconscious but did recognize me. At one point I was struggling for what to say or do, and I found myself just holding her hand. I stayed there with her until some other friends from our kids' school arrived to visit her. She lived only one more day after that visit.
Irene died October 11, 2004 after a 5-year battle with malignant melanoma. It wasn't a pretty battle, but then battles never are pretty. She worked nights during the first year of her treatment and I'm still surprised that it didn't kill her then. But she used her characteristic dedication and drive to keep herself going, because she loved her family.
I have a script from my doctor sitting on my desk; I have been instructed to make my annual visit to the dermatologist for a "mole check." Out of pure laziness, I've been putting that off. But out of love for my family and friends, and because I can almost hear Irene yelling at me right now, today I will make that appointment.
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2 Responses to “Inspired by a Memory”
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