Journal of a Living Lady #159

 

Nancy White Kelly

 

I have a good friend who was born on the exact same day as my father, March 31, 1920. She is a dear Christian with a wonderful sense of humor. We quickly bonded when we met eight years ago.

 

Ramie has since become a widow, but had a husband who was equally fine. Before I learned better, I thought a near-by mountain was named after her. It would have gotten my vote.

 

Now, you’d think Buddy and I would choose friends closer our own age. Not necessarily. Our friends run the gamut of ages, from teenagers to seniors plus. Buddy is twelve years younger than Ramie and I am twelve years younger than he. Age doesn’t matter anyway unless you are cheese. Besides, this friend has triple my energy even on my good days.

 

Ramie’s mind clicks constantly. Sometimes it is up to no good, but that is part of what makes our relationship special. We can be serious or ridiculous with each other and not be misunderstood. We have similar, deeply held religious and political beliefs and enjoy silly running gags.

 

What did I give my 82-year-old friend for Christmas? Birth control pills. On her birthday I gave her a card with a picture of a ruby-cheeked cherub. I wrote on the card that it was only to be opened by a well-behaved angel. Then I glued it tightly shut.

 

Ramie is an earthly angel. Nobody loved a husband more than she did. Did she grieve when he died unexpectedly? Yes, appropriately, but she then moved on.

 

On any given day of the week she is doing something good or harebrained, but mostly good. Ramie delivers home-cooked meals to the sick or elderly (don’t dare call her that); she teaches Bible weekly in an assisted- living home. She has made dozens of gorgeous, inspiring banners, tediously adorned with jewels and sequins. Ramie supervises rambunctious grade school children in an after-school program and frequently counsels unwed mothers. She walks many a mile in fund-raising marathons and fearlessly zips up and down the road by herself to Gainesville, Asheville, New Port Richey, and even Washington, DC. In her younger days, she was approached about being a city mayor, but declined, giving preference to being a wife and mother.

 

Ramie is always impeccably dressed, her white hair carefully coiffeured, and her nails perfectly painted. But looks can be deceiving. While tiny in stature, she is big on life and undoubtedly the hardest working senior saint I know.

 

Yes, Ramie and I have a strange and wonderful relationship. She is strange and I am wonderful.

 

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nancyk@alltel.net   https://www.angelfire.com/bc/nancykelly