My mother has never been one to sugar coat situations. I assume most people convey bad news with an appropriate intro like, Are you sitting down? I have something terrible to tell you.
My mother lays it all out there. A perfect example was when my grandmother unexpectedly passed away an hour after I visited with her on Good Friday a few years ago.
Me answering the phone: Hello
Mom: Nana died.
Me: What?
Mom: Nana's dead.
Me: What?
Mom: Damn it Kristen. Listen to me. NANA IS DEAD.
Me: What?
So last Wednesday when my family suffered a horrendous tragedy my mother broke the news to the family in a very blunt way. Unfortunately, she was so upset that she didn't realize Joey answered the phone. I heard him say "Grandma, who was in a mur.der sui.cide?" Oh shit. I grabbed the phone and heard my mother saying "PUT YOUR MOM ON THE PHONE!"
So much for protecting the innocent. My beautiful cousin was killed by her estranged husband. I still can't believe it. This kind of thing doesn't happen to people I know. This kind of thing doesn't happen in my family.
Thursday morning as I was driving the kids to school Julie asked why I was gone all night. We had planned on watching Ameri.can Id.ol after dinner but I rushed over to my aunt's house upon hearing the news. I explained that I was busy talking to the detectives and spending time with the family.
Julie got very excited. You got to talk to a real detective? Did he let you touch his magnifying glass?
The innocence of childhood absolutely amazes me.
http://www.legacy.com/gazette/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=106305621
March 25, 2008
Innocence
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3 comments:
I'm very sorry.
It's wonderful to have that innocence to come home to, though, isn't it?
My Aunt is like that and when my grandma died, the rest of that side of the family stopped calling us because of how my Aunt delivered the news. Sometimes there is no perfect way of getting it out.
I'm so very sorry for your loss, and for the children she left behind.
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