A week before I was four years old my baby brother was born.
While my mother was at the hospital I went to stay with my grandmother and
grandfather Cloyd. They ran a dairy farm which meant there was plenty of dirt
to play in. But having a great belief in cleanliness my grandmother scrubbed me
up real good before they took me home. Honestly, you have never been scrubbed
until you have been scrubbed by Ada Cloyd with a bar of lava soap. Upon my
return home I discovered that my Aunt Zuma, Uncle John and their three children
Rhonda, Richard, and Rozi had also come to inspect this new baby that had
arrived in our family. My cousin Rozi, who was about two years older than me,
for some reason was sitting beside the bassinette where my newborn brother lay.
I went over to inspect this bundle of joy that everyone seemed in awe of. I
reached out my hand to touch my baby brother only to be greeted with a sharp
rebuke from my cousin Rozi. In a loud protective voice she shouted “Get your
dirty hands off that baby”! I obeyed. I am certain I did not say a word but I
remember processing in my mind that she surely has no idea about the cleansing
experience I had just endured not more than an hour earlier. I have never
forgotten that moment. Surely it is one of my earliest memories. As for Rozi, I
suspect I was in my late teens when we last saw each other. I am glad we were
able to reconnect via facebook about two years ago. About two weeks ago Rozi
became ill and could not eat and grew weak. When she went to the hospital it
was discovered that she had two tumors on her liver that had metastasized
from other parts of her body. Her demise was quick. Her kidneys
failed and by the time her sister, brother, and father got to her side she was
basically unable to communicate. Death came painfully but quickly. Her family
is left to weep even as they are grateful for a merciful end. I am weeping and
praying with them. I am sorry it had to be this way. But let me give a personal
word to Rozi: Thanks for a beautiful memory that has lingered with me for 52
years. I am sure there was a crowd to greet you when you passed through the
heavenly gate. But be cautious lest you are tempted to go on hygiene patrol. Be
assured that all the residents of heaven have clean hands.
No comments:
Post a Comment