LOVE WINS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2021

 LOVE WINS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2021

So, how about a story.

My Jewish philosopher said, “Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself”.  

Somebody asked him who was his neighbor, and this Jewish philosopher told the story known as the Good Samaritan. 

*****

Sandy was a retired custodian.  Her husband had divorced her about five years ago.  Their two children lived far away from her.  She had downsized from their big house to a two-bedroom apartment.  Indirectly, the proceeds from selling the house went into a bank account that paid for the apartment plus a little more - although the interest income wasn’t all that much.  She had a nice teacher’s retirement income, and some social security benefits, and medicare.  

She had many friends in Sioux City.  She went with some of her friends to the high school girls' events and in particular to girls' basketball games.  There was a group that sat behind the home teams and cheered them on.  They called themselves “The Basketball Bunch”.  She knew some of them and as the seasons went on, she made friends with most of them.  A large group went out for pizzas after the games - most were widows with some divorced, some had husbands, and some never had married.  But, it was a very friendly group.

One Friday evening she got a call from Angela Granthum.  Angela was asking if Sandy could give her a ride to the game - and Sandy said “yes”.

Sandy knew a little about Angela.  Sandy had given Angela rides before.  She was in her mid-80s - a retired teacher.  Sandy was pretty sure that Angela had never married - so no children in the area.  Angela had well-coiffed white hair, and always dressed nicely.  For the colder nights, she always had matching scarves for her dresses (never jeans).  Another friend, Tamara had whispered to Sandy about Angela’s outfits.  “Note, she wears the right colors for the home team and a scarf to match.” 

Sandy thought about that.  North Sioux City was red and blue, West Sioux City was maroon and white; Bishop Heelan was Red and white, and East Sioux City was navy and white - yes Angela Granthum had been in the local school colors at the games.  What a hoot!!!

That evening was North Sioux City Stars against Council Bluffs Jefferson.  The girls game at 6:00 and the boys game at 8:00.  (This women’s group generally left after the girl's game - 8:00 games cut into their bedtime for these senior women!!!)

Sandy stopped in front of Angela’s apartment building.  Generally, Angela was in the lobby of the building waiting - but not so tonight.  Sandy parked her car and went into the lobby as Angela came in - dressed in a red and blue outfit was a matching scarf that had stars on it!!  (Sandy had an internal laugh at that!!)

Angela seemed to be a little short of breath, so Sandy asked “Are you okay, Angela?”

Angela seemed to hesitate but said “I’ll be fine.  Just rushing around and getting ready took longer than I thought today.”

The ladies liked getting to the gym by 5:30 for the 6:00 games.  There were still parking spots (the girl's basketball games were not packed except for playoffs) - and if you got there early, you could get a handicapped place - and Angela had a hanging handicapped indicator for Sandy’s rearview mirror.  

Sandy helped Angela get out of the car and into the gym.  It was a decent January night for Sioux City - the highs were in the mid-30s and no precipitation.  They showed their passes at the gate.  By this time of the season, the regular ticket takers recognized the “Basketball Bunch” as they called themselves. Sandy and Angela found seats in the bleachers.  There were some of the group there already.  As normal, there were hugs and greetings.  Sandy thought this was a special group - diverse (black, white, Hispanic, and others; Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Jewish, and others; and across political and economic spectrums as well).  

The North High School Stars started slow but took a four-point lead into half-time.  

Angela needed the restroom and stood up - and immediately collapsed on the bleacher.  Sandy was there immediately as were the others in the Basketball Bunch.  Julie Ahrens took charge.  She still worked part-time as a nurse - and the others respected her.  

Julie yelled to the group, “Somebody call 911, I think she’s having a heart attack.  And does anybody have an aspirin in her purse?”.  

Within a second, there were three hands with various types of aspirin - Julie said “are any of them real aspirin?”  Anna said her aspirins were Bayer aspirins.  Julie, supporting Angela’s head and talking to her, put the aspirin in her mouth and said loudly in her ear - CHEW THIS.  

It was very quick for an ambulance to get to the gym and paramedics took Angela with them.  Sandy excused herself and drove to the MercyOne hospital and parked and came into the emergency room, explaining that she was with Angela  Granthum.  The receptionist asked if Sandy was a family member.  

Sandy, for a rare moment, decided to lie and said “Yes, I’m her sister-in-law”.  Trying to explain that Angela was an old maid without local relatives wasn’t going to work.  (And, Sandy thought that maybe that was a stretch.).

They wouldn’t let Sandy see Angela as they had wheeled her into the operations theater.  But, seemingly the receptionist thought things were reasonably well and maybe she could see her sister-in-law in maybe half-an-hour!!!

*****

It was closer to an hour-and-one-half before a nurse came out to find Sandy.  

Yes - she could come and visit her sister-in-law; Yes - she could stay with her in her room; Yes- they would talk, but try not to overdo it.  And, they found some blockages in her heart.  The quick thinking to get her an aspirin was significant.  Eventually, the medical staff thought she might need some minor heart surgeries to clean the heart arteries.  And, finally, yes, she could go home tomorrow.  The nurse said they would want to work with Angela’s primary care physician as to future care.  Then the nurse asked Sandy if (as her sister-in-law), could stay with her for at least the next week.  Sandy immediately thought through this and said “yes, I can stay with her”. 

*****

Sandy sat with Angela for the rest of the evening.  She texted Julie and the other Basketball Bunch ladies that Angela was resting and on her way to recovery.  (Mina texted back that the North Stars team had won the game by twelve points.  She also mentioned that the ladies were worried as they had pizza after the game and all would be willing to help out.)

Angela was alert for a while - and she and Sandy talked.  Sandy found out that Angela was a twin and that her twin sister was in the Minneapolis area - with her husband and that was her closest relative.  Angela wanted to call her sister and tell her about her situation.  Sandy wasn’t sure if Angela should have too much excitement and checked with the on-call nurse.  The nurse (the name tag said Hilliary) said Angela could have five minutes with her sister.  

The nurse looked at Sandy and asked “I thought you were sisters-in-law?”

Sandy had to come clean - and explain that Angela was an old maid that had never married and they were friends that went to basketball games together. The nurse laughed. “Okay, I think that makes you a special friend - and we treat that like relatives”

*****’

Well, thought Sandy as she left the emergency room about midnight.  I’m now Angela’s sister-in-law, and I’m going to be sitting at her house watching her for a few days. Or I could bring her to my place.  I’d feel better if I was in my apartment and with Angela in the extra bedroom.  I would know my way around the kitchen and can cook for the two of us. My bedroom is right next to the guest bedroom, so I can check on her.  She won’t want to be doing too much for a few days.  If she needs anything we can either make-do or run over to her apartment.  

Exhausted by the day, Sandy fell asleep quickly.  The nurse had indicated that Angela would probably be dismissed around noon, so that gave her some time to straighten things up.  

*****

Sandy awoke and immediately checked with the hospital. Angela had a restful night.  They had scheduled her for cardiology exams in two weeks and visits with her primary care doctor.  She would be dismissed about noon.

Sandy got to work.  She called Angela’s twin sister, Alberta in Lakeville Minnesota to let her know what was going on.  Alberta wanted to talk to her sister later.  Alberta didn’t travel much.  She let the Basketball Bunch know of their plans, some volunteered to help sit in or to bring meals for Angela and Sandy.  

At noon, Sandy was at the hospital and picked up Angela.  Angela looked tired but healthy.  She had prescriptions that needed to be checked up.  Sandy checked with Angela if it was okay to come to her apartment for a week.  Angela, very weak and realizing that she would need help, gladly accepted Sandy’s offer.  They stopped at the pharmacy on the way home and at Angela’s apartment to get some clothes, toiletries, and medications.  (Fortunately, Angela’s cat had died a year ago, so there was no need to pet-sit!!

*****

For the next week, Sandy took care of Angela.  There were two times when Julie from the Basketball Bunch came over in a dual capacity of nurse and friend so Sandy could get some groceries and run some errands and have a few minutes of her own time.

Angela was a good friend, and Sandy and Angela got along well.  Angela was making good progress and the two of them did some walking at the Sioux City recreation center.  

Sandy had a good laugh.  Only in America could a black Baptist woman like herself, take care of a senior white Jewish lady!!  Almost like the old movie “Driving Miss Daisy”. 

*****

Back to my intro - who was the Good Neighbor - Sandy took an acquaintance in and became a friend.  Across boundaries - racial, religious, and economic - Sandy and Angela bonded.  Yes, Sandy was a good neighbor!!

From Matthew 25: 35-40

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

(And, adding, my friend needed hospital care, and I saw that you got it, you needed a person to be with you as you recovered, and I watched you.)

Sandy was the good neighbor in this story.  She could have said “Nope, sorry, let her be on her own or send her to a rehab facility”, but instead she took her friend Angela in and took care of her.  Can we reach across barriers, boundaries, chasms to be loving?  

So, how about us?  Are we good neighbors? Do we do acts of love and kindness?

LOVE WINS!!!

HUGS!!!

Karen