An Email from a Friend

Judy is a dear friend of mine who lives in New York. We got to spend some wonderful time with her and her family when Paul and I were in NYC for his treatment at Sloan-Kettering and also when we went to Vermont for treatment. She sent me this email recently and it was such a blessing to me that I wanted to post it (with her permission, of course!)

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Hello! I have thought of you so much in recent weeks and am just now getting around to emailing you to tell you so.

Yesterday jeff and I spent an incredible day down in NYC and we ended it thinking of you.

On the drive home, late last night, we stopped at a rest area on the freeway, looking for something to eat. The one we stopped at was one I have been to with you and Paul. We parked in the parking garage type area (strange for freeway rest stops) and went into the building, where everything was closed down, just like it was when we were there with Paul (and looking for a snack for your hungry boy...)

It is a two story building inside, with escalators taking you up to the bathrooms. Remember that one? There were only vending machines to use, that were on small breezeways that overlooked the lower area. I'm pretty sure Paul found some money under one of the machines. :)

Jeff and I were in luck, in that one store was open, Dunkin Donuts, so we ordered a bagel or two. As we stood waiting I told him about my trip there with you and Paul. I tried to pull out of the back of my brain every memory I had of that night, every place we walked in that building as we hunted for a decent snack.

Of course we started talking about Paul too. And Jeff surprised me by saying, "I still have a rock in the pocket of my orange coat, a stone that Paul gave me as we walked through the woods. It's still there, in the bottom of my pocket."

He's not a man of many words but I know what he meant. He keeps that rock in his pocket on purpose. It reminds him of a brave little boy who made a big impact on a lot of us during his short time on the planet.

Then finally our bagels were done and we walked through the almost dark, quiet building, back to the car. Then, just as we approached the outside doors, I spied something shiny on the ground. A bright copper penny.

I am sure, so sure, that Paul left that penny there for me. To let me know that he remembered too. He remembered the fun we had in the midst of pain, as we traveled up and down the dark freeways of New York.

I have not hugged you in a while, my friend. But that doesn't mean I dont miss you, think of you, and care about you.


Just wanted you to know we talked about you, and your boy, last night, and it brought smiles to our faces.

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Thanks, Judy!!