By Larry Puls @larrypulsauthor
 |
| Getting back you life, Recovery from Illness |
Opening the front door, she inhaled deeply, stretched and looked out at the brilliant blue sky. It was a summer day brimming over with life. A small breeze drifted through the trees. It was her new beginning--a great opportunity to start back on what would likely be a long road to recovery. Yet her willingness was powerful. And the desire was great... Though her expectations were realistic.
Stepping out onto the street, she turned left and started walking slowly for what would hopefully be a one-mile stroll. It was not going to be glorious or fast, just completed—assuming she could find the strength. One by one she took her measured steps while the shortness of breath controlled her speed. Soon she found herself thinking it was doable. And nothing would dampen her determination. She had on her favorite walking shoes, her new workout shorts, and no hair to contend with under her pink baseball cap.
Rounding the first corner she saw the ball come flying out of a yard at the end of the cul-de-sac. And seconds later she saw the small boy, somewhere around seven years of age, come bounding from behind the hedge to retrieve the errant soccer ball. And when he turned to check for traffic in the street, they caught each other’s eyes. And then his face changed. He just kept staring. What are you looking at? She intuitively read his mind. The puzzled look gave it away.
“Did you lose your ball?” she said breaking the ice.
He did not immediately answer. Then tentatively he broke in, “What’s wrong with you?’
“What do you mean?”
“Why don’t you have any hair?”
She knew that from the mouths of babes came honesty. And she appreciated that. The question may have been uncomfortable four months ago, but not now. She had come to accept who she was, and was proud of what she had achieved. She fully grasped why a little boy would not get the picture of a bald woman walking through his neighborhood.
“”Oh that,” and then she pulled off her hat and teasingly rubbed her scalp. And then smiling she answered back, “It does look funny, I know. And believe me, I wish I did have hair. But it all came out and I can’t seem to get it to come back.”
“That happened to my dad you know. He says he can’t get his to come back either… Are you related to him?”
She smiled. “Well I don’t know. What’s your dad’s name?”
He turned his head at a funny angle. “Dad.”
“Ok… I’m not sure, but I don’t think he and I are related because I don’t have a brother by that name.”
“Oh well. You remind of him with your head like that.”
Nodding she said, “I understand.” And no sooner did the words come out of her mouth than Coco heard the little boy’s mother calling his name. When she came around the corner, her eyes connected to Coco's. They were acquaintances.
“Coco,” she said followed by a pause. “It’s... great to see you… I see you have met my son Phillip.”
“I did. We were just having a delightful talk.”
“Yeah. I told her she reminded me of Dad because she doesn’t have any hair.”
And with that Coco saw his mother’s eyes grow wide, followed by an awkward silence. The boy seemed totally at ease and proud of what he had said. He was clueless. But not his mother. She turned back to Coco and raised her shoulders and hands before saying, “I am sorry for that.”
“Don’t apologize. He meant nothing by it. And besides, he had honest observations and I would have expected nothing less from a young, curious mind. It was actually a delightful exchange.”
Coco walked across the street and grabbed the soccer ball and threw it back to Phillip.
“Phillip it was great to meet you. And I just want you to know that I, just like your father, hope that one day my hair will grow back as well.” And with that, she headed off down the street.
What Questions Come on the Long Road Back? Coco's Journey; Larry Puls; (Click to Tweet)
Don't Miss the Previous Chapters
Coco's Journey
Don't Miss the Previous Chapters
Coco's Journey
No comments:
Post a Comment