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As a rule Dee lived quietly
enjoying simple pleasures. Over the years she had disciplined her mind to
look away from the harsh, the ugly, the miserable. This was only the way
she could cope with the realities of her daughter's disability. In the
beginning years she had done mortal battle with dark, deep, black
depression.
Her Christian faith was the
only thing to sustain and hold her away from some of the things others in
her like situation did. Always, there was an oasis in the study of the
scriptures. It was partially a love for history and partly an interest in
law stemming from working in a lawyer's office for a while when she was
very young. And, of course, the love for associating with people with the
same goals.
Time, health, and her
daughter's more frailties did not allow her to indulge in spiritual food
as she once did. However, there were times when realities settled down
on her as to her daughter's condition and this was when she would reach
out again for Bible study. The strength of her daughter's spirit she
appreciated. But, there were times when grief could roll over Dee as
complete and sudden as waves in the ocean. When she had to watch the
struggle of her daughter having to work so hard to do the most simple
tasks was the time for this immense sadness to grip her.
When this claimed her there
was no breaking through to the top like after a deep dive in order to
gasp deep breaths of life giving air. She learned over the years it was a
wrong thing to cry on the shoulder of a friend. Mostly, because they were
not closely involved they did not understand. And, it could even put too
much of a weight on them, depending on how mentally strong they were.
Her old friends of her
faith always welcomed her back with warm sincere friendship. She was the
kind of person who appreciated her privacy and they always respected that,
but when she was with a group it was as if her old friends picked up just
where they had left off.
On this particular evening
as she was leaving a woman stopped her. Dee did not know her and had never
met her. Once years ago a chemistry teacher spoke of a reaction one could
have for a person in that they were immediately disliked. He said he felt
it was a chemical reaction with body chemistry.
“My name is Lana. I was
born May 21, 1942. I am from Brazil. I lived in Texas, but I have lived
here for eighteen years.”
The quick summary of the
woman's life was summed up in short sentences which were all run together.
Dee could do nothing more than smile. “Oh? Well.”
Again the woman said, “My
name is Lana. I was born May 21, 1942. I am from Brazil. I lived in Texas,
but I have lived here for eighteen years.”
This time Dee had a moment
to think. “Oh? Brazil? Well.”
“My name is Lana. I was
born May 21, 1942. I am from Brazil. I lived in Texas, but I have lived
here for eighteen years.” After this last repetitive statement the woman
walked up to Dee, put her arms around her, and gave her a hug.”
By this time Dee was
sidling closer and closer to the exit. “How nice! So nice to meet you!
Getting late. Must run. Bye bye.” Like a shot she was out of the
building and into the parking lot. On the drive home she kept running her
hands through her hair as if she was feeling something crawling on her
scalp.
The moment she arrived home
Dee said nothing to Sam but was instantly in the shower. She was thinking
about how she had done the same thing on occasion when she was working as
a beautician. Dee lathered down her hair with a tea tree oil shampoo with
a vengeance. Upon leaving the shower she doused her hair with a hot oil
treatment and more tea tree oil and wrapped her hair in a turban.
Sam was altogether long
suffering but finally had to make mention of her hair in the turban. “I
haven't seen you do this in forty years.”
“You remember when I styled
hair?” Dee never thought he had noticed.
“Well, pretty hard not to
notice that particular fragrance?”
“Hmmm. You never mentioned
that you noticed when I did this then.” Dee ducked her head and smiled.
“Oh well! Young love, and
all. You know.” Sam smiled as well.
To explain her actions Dee
said, “There was this weird woman at the Bible study. I have never seen
her before. She kept repeating the same thing over and over and then she
hugged me. I do not know her.”
Dee went on with her
explanation. “Do you remember our Chemistry teacher? Remember what he
said about chemical reactions between people.”
“No Dee, I must tell you. I
do not remember that.”
Dee laughed out loud.
“What? You don't remember a chemistry class forty years ago? Oh my!”
“And so?” Sam was
interested only mildly but was a bit curious by now.
“Oh, I don't know. I just
felt creepy, crawly, like when I worked on someone's hair who wasn't just
too clean. Rarely did this ever happen, but occasionally....when I was in
beauty school it did.”
I think it was
psychological because my mind was going back to wondering what it was to
make me feel so silly about someone I didn't even know, in the house of
God yet. Too, I was remembering professor Perkering and his statement
about body chemistry. It was all so weird with her repeating facts over
and over of the same things. Dee waited for Sam to respond but whatever
his thoughts were he said nothing.
“You know, Sam?”
“Yes?”
“I can tell you I'm no
longer depressed. In fact I'm so distracted it is almost sinful. And,
all from going to a Bible study. I'm telling you. I'm easily
entertained.” And at that last statement they both had a laugh together. |
