Linda

Dear Linda, Its been a long time since you left me and went on you journey to heaven.I was not there when you passed but I did get to see you while you were in the hospital.Your daughter Jen called me to let me know how ill you were,I had lost touch with you for a while ....I had no idea.

I don't really remember how we first met.We lived right down the street from each other and we had to be five or six years old.Your mother had a drinking problem which I knew nothing about until much later in life)She would always have you dressed in frilly dresses and you hair done in ringlettes.You always looked like a live doll and as I remember you hated it.

Beneath all that outward appearance you were on tough cookie and for reasons I never understood always protected me when you could.You use to put your own brothers in strangle hold if the teased me in any way.I always felt safe when I was with you.

This was the sixties and we would disappear all day.Into the woods to built private huts,go to the playground for hours on end.We would listen to music on our radios(transisters) and try to learn newest dances.Growing up was the last thing on our minds.

We grew apart some as we became teenagers.You had your first baby and got married at the age of 17.I thought you were stupid to let that happen to you.I didn't know the hell you were going through and so caught up in my own selfish life never really asked.

Just a couple of years into your marriage from hell he left you and your two kids alone.I know now what a struggle it was for you with little to no help,but you never ever asked for it.When I would call or stop over you would tell me all was fine.

As the years went by thing slowly got better for you.But the pain of your childhood and losing your teenage years took a toll on you and like you mother before you you had a drinking problem.I always knew this and you did little to hide it.As you got older you lived a somewhat sheltered life.I am sure you wouldn't call it that.You always did your own thing not worrying at all what others may think.

My best memory of you is the Tommy James and the Shondells record we bought we must have been 13 or 14.We had saved our babysitting money to get it and listened to it everyday all summer long.The song "I think we're alone now"was our favorite.As I left your hospital room I said to you Tommy James?and you said as I walked out the door "I think we're alone now"

I will never forget how you always protected me and never complained when you had troubles.And lived the life you wanted on your own terms.You will be missed every day always.

One day way back when,we were maybe 9 or 10.It was summer or spring a beautiful sunny day.I ate a quick breakfast got my transistor radio and stole my sisters bike.I hooked the strap of the radio to the handlebars of the bike,and i took off.The sun shinning the skies blue and me riding as fast as I could with "Its a beautiful morning"playing on my radio.The song hadn't ended when I got to your house.There you were next to your own bike and we just rode off without a word being said.