Okay, last time I talked about how we were losing friends lately. In particular, I talked about my friend Linda Yiannakis, who was about my age (or even a bit younger, ouch). This time, I’m going to talk about someone else, Shirley Ann (Kuhn) Puariea, whose passing was sad, but at least she was 92--which is, let us confess, quite an accomplishment.
She was also the reason we ended up in Albuquerque sooner than later.
We had planned on a New Mexico trip for sometime during the summer -- but maybe later in August. (Any excuse to get out of the Texas heat!) And, besides, we had been wanting to get back to see old friends there for quite a while. Once Lockdown was done and Covid was on the run, we figured we’d head out.
We just didn’t plan on doing so as soon as we did.
About the photos: the first is Martha in 2018. We were at a restaurant in Albuquerque, Sandiago’s, which was one of our favorites. We went there for a couple of our anniversaries. Unfortunately, I believe it has gone out of business--which is sad.
The second photo is of a true reprobate whose image should never darken the pages of Facebook or a blog -- i.e., me. Though you might be amused to see what I look like wearing a suit coat. Doesn’t happen often.
Anyway...
Martha met Shirley when she joined the Church of the Good Shepherd (“a congregation affiliated with the United Church of Christ”) in Albuquerque. They were kind of an odd couple because Martha was much younger. Shirley was already then in her late 80s. Yet, they got on like the proverbial house a’fire. For lack of a better term, they shared world views. They had similar politics (progressive), similar takes on people, and a similar quirky sense of humor.
Shirley was an early member of the church. She wasn’t among the founders, perhaps, but she was among the very first. She was, in fact, one of a small group of men and women who kept running the church from its beginnings through some very hard times.
Anyway, like I say, she and Martha became rather close friends. It was easy to see why. Shirley was what my father used to call “a character.” She was full of life, full of excitement, bursting with joie de vivre. She had traveled the world with her engineer husband, but he’d passed young, and Shirley had to forge a new existence as a single mother with several (by their own admission) “complicated” children. Then, after making a career for herself, and sending her children off to college and their own lives, there were more travels, more adventures...
When we moved, Martha kept in touch with Shirley via text, email, phone call, and by Zoom. Also, they were both in the same Church bookclub, and during lockdown the club met via video. So, even though we were miles away, and restrained by Covid, still, they were able to maintain their friendship.
Three years passed. Shirley grew gradually more frail. She became less and less active on the Zoom calls. She found it increasingly difficult to take care of herself. One of her sons moved in with her so that he could be there, at least part of the time, at nights and when he wasn’t at work.
And then...
One day, this year, Martha was on her computer while I was on mine. We share the same office, so I could hear her quite freely when she said, “Oh...!” I asked her what had happened. Shirley had passed. Peacefully, but she was gone.
There was to be a service at the Church...quite soon. But, there was no question. We had to be there. So...we dropped everything, or delayed it...and made arrangements. We would travel to Albuquerque (only two days before our planned flight to New England) to say goodby.
So it was that a short time later we found ourselves in the utter chaos of the Austin airport, making our way through the endless lines of TSA, wrestling with the tension, doubt, and fear that always attend such occasions.
Only...only...we did not know it, but...
We were about to receive something rather wonderful.
And we would call it “Shirley’s last gift.”
More to come.
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About the photos: the first is Martha in 2018. We were at a restaurant in Albuquerque, Sandiago’s, which was one of our favorites. We went there for a couple of our anniversaries. Unfortunately, I believe it has gone out of business--which is sad.
The second photo is of a true reprobate whose image should never darken the pages of Facebook or a blog -- i.e., me. Though you might be amused to see what I look like wearing a suit coat. Doesn’t happen often.
Copyright©2022 Michael Jay Tucker
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