Boxing Day 2011

Christmas 1981 will live in my mind forever.  It was spent in jolly old England.....Manchester.  My roommate Dinah and I were spending Christmas with her sister and brother-in-law.  Someday I will tell you Dinah's story, but not today.  We had planned this trip since the summer when her family had been to Greece.  So, on December 24th I loaded Dinah and the bags into my 1970 Pinto and off we went to Hellinicon Airport.  We caught a British Airways flight to London.  Dinah was not feeling well and I asked the flight attendant to have a chair meet us for the transfer to the Manchester shuttle.  We managed the transfer with only a little help from British Airways.  Dinah's sister, Betty, met us at the ramp in Manchester. On Christmas day we had a wonderful dinner.  Dinah was in good spirits, but very tired.  We spent the evening in the pub downstairs.  She had a wonderful time introducing me to old friends and business acquaintances.  The next morning, Peter, and old friend, had volunteered to take me to York to see the Cathedral.  We spent the entire day....again that's a story for another time.  When I walked into the Pub, I did not see Betty or Dinah.  When I asked, they said Dinah had become very ill and asked them to call an ambulance.

My heart did a flip flop.  I asked  if they were sure Dinah asked that it be called.  It was confirmed.  As i was rused around to be escorted to the hospital, I was in a daze.  I just could not get my head around what was facin me.  It was plain her family had no clue.  You see, Dinak was a cancer survivor.  Fifteen years earlier she had had a round with breast cancer and had beat it into submission.  However while that was going on she lost her husband to a heart attack and her 25 year-old son to a car accident.  She had told me the story when we met in Athens two years earlier.  She also told me how bad her experience with the National Health Service had been.  The las t thing she told me before our departure for Englad was, "Norm, I will never go back to a hospital except to die. My boys are gone and I am ready to follow."  I asked why tell me now.  She said she thought it best I understood why she would never let me send her to a hospital.  I quipped that the only one i contemplated had padded cells.  She grinned and said I'd keep her company.

All of this rollong around my head as Betty's daughter drives me to the hospital.  I get there.  Dinah's having supper and joking around with Betty.  She even patted the orderly on the rump when he picked up her tray.  We spent a half hour in pleasant conversation and Betty said it was time to go.  I was hesitant and Dinah gave me a little head shake.  I gave her a hug and we left. I cried in the dark all the way back to Manchester Royal.  I managed to be presentable by the time we got to the pub.  Sat around drinking 'til it closed at 10PM....then did the after hours thing with a couple of Dinah's "Bobby" friends.  At 1115 PM the phone rang.....I told Casey to get ready.  He said for what.  I said Dinah's gone.  He replied she can't be.....just as Betty Screamed.

My flight home was the lonliest ever.