I'm Just Sayin'!

           "Mama Rose and her Favorite Son!"

                                          “I’m Just Sayin’”

                                                                 by Alan P. Scaglione

35 years ago Today--  I watched my mother die!

Yep-- In front of my eyes.
While she was watching her “story”!
Story? What they called a soap opera back then.
Her favorite was All My Children—you know-- Erica Kane!
Mama’s favorite character was a young girl named Brooke.
Brooke was a wild one—and Mama was in the middle of scolding Brooke.
She said, “That Brooke is such a….”
I know that’s what she said because…
IT’s the LAST thing she said!
I looked up to see why she hadn’t completed her sentence.
And I saw why!
She had died—right there, at 1:12 pm on a Friday, November 18^th, 1977, in her hospital bed.
Oh yeh—did I forget to mention that she was in the hospital?
Having a blood transfusion—her white blood count was low—“out of whack” were the words used.
So they put her in the hospital for a couple of days to build up her blood cells—the white ones!
And I was the only child left at home, so… I got elected to sit with her during the day.
Papa had to work, so…  it was left to me to do.
I was in my Senior Year of High School!
But my mother was dying of cancer!
Oh, did I mention that she had liver cancer?
Back then, 1977, they couldn’t transplant livers, and you didn’t have two of them, so…
She was dying from cancer of the liver, and there wasn’t anything we could do about it—but pray!
She was a prayer warrior!
Mama was part of the “Oldies But Goldies For God” Gang!
That’s what I named them—4 ladies of a “certain age” who shared the back pew at our church—our Praying Mamas!
There was Hazel Rozier, Ottie Bullard, Mama Welfare(Becky Edwards) and my Mama Rose!
We knew—you wanted prayers answered—Get the OBGG Gang to pray for you!
My mom loved God, lived the life as best as she could and never smoked a day in her life!
And there she was… 53 years old! In that bed, dead!
I have to tell you—35 years later, I still look at my watch each year at 1:12 pm on this day… and remember—That Look!
Did I mention that I was 17 years old on that day?
I do NOT wish that on anyone—NO ONE!
I have often said something died in ME that day my Mama died!
I remember it all—so clearly!
I was bummed because I wanted to be at school—my friend Sandy Sawyer was picking up my homework for me.
She was then and IS now—the BEST friend anyone could ask for!
I was doing homework while Mama watched her “story”!
I have always wondered why I looked up at exactly that moment?
I remember Mama—I really do!
And I have kept her “alive” for my children and now, my grandchildren.
She didn’t get to know any of my kids.
But they sure got to know her!
Things I shared…
She loved jelly beans.
She loved to watch baseball.
She loved the Lord!
She loved church!
She loved ME the best!

 Hey—I’m writing it, so I will die believing that she loved her youngest son the best!!

She said things like “Aw Junk!” instead of cussing.

She worked 40 hours a week making brooms and mops, by hand.
I know because, as her “favorite”, I got to take off the masking tape she wrapped around each knuckle each day so the wire wouldn’t cut her!
And she came home and cooked a 5 course meal EVERY night—NO “one pot wonders” for her boys!
Yes, I remember her well!

Her heritage she left me still lives on;

Her love for God, even when she was dying…
She taught me that—“To love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, soul, strength and mind!” Luke 10:27
Would be the BEST way to remember my Mama!

Until Next Time

I’m Just Sayin’…
Brother “A”

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