About two weeks ago I was very tired. I am tired a lot these days for lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of reasons. One of the biggies though is the chemotherapy pills. They are huge and pink and they cause chaos in me and on me.
On this day however, I was really really super duper tired. A few minutes after settling in for the evening to watch t.v. with my son, there was a knock at the door. Figuring it was one of his buddies, my son got up to answer it. Next thing I know he is hanging over the back of my chair whispering "Mom, there is a Schwan man here." I whispered back "tell him I said no thank you." "Mom, I can't do that!"
"Yes you can"..."No I can't..."Yes you can"..."No I can't"..ARGH! So I walked to the door and said hello. He was a very nice man...very grandfatherly...and we began to chat. He told me about Schwans and I wasn't really focusing on what he said. I just began to think of how much he looked like Wilford Brimley.
I told him that I was really only cooking for one these days, that my husband was gone and due to my treatment my appetite was gone as well. Also my daughter was only eating BBQ shredded beef on a bun or crouton wraps with ranch dressing which I didn't suppose was featured in their catalog. I realized that I had probably given him more information than he wanted and I thanked him for his time. But instead of saying goodbye, he asked me what I was being treated for.
I told him a little about the cancer and he began to tell me about his wife and what she was going through...how he was care taking for her and how he was supporting her through her treatment. It began turning into one of those moments where I wanted to invite him in for a cup of hot cocoa and a long visit where we talk about life and how illness has changed so many things. How our plans and dreams and perspectives have changed and we would promise to keep in touch and we would exchange addresses and send each other Christmas cards and the kids and I would send him an ornament every year, and he would send Schwan's cookies for me and the kids.... Oh my, I think I have watched too many Hallmark movies.
It didn't get to that point, but we did talk for a few more minutes. By the end of the conversation we promised to pray for each other and for our families...and by the time Mr. Brimley stepped off the porch we were both in tears and grateful for our meeting. I never imagined that I would be crying happy tears on my front porch with the Schwan man.
So the next time the Schwan man knocks on the door...I recommend the key lime pie.
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