Friday, November 28, 2008

Reality

Remember "George"? George with the golden egg? The George I never got to meet because he was successfully released from the program before I could shake his hand? George who beat the odds with his positive outlook, interesting character, and supportive family?

This George, quoting from my previous blog entries:

From Tuesday, October 14, 2008
"And then there's a guy I'll call George. George is a character, and I mean a character in the literal sense. See, George wears cowboy clothes. George wears a denim jacket, denim pants, suitable shirt, and a straw cowboy hat that's a virtual caricature of a farmer's straw hat. George also carries around a large (18" high) golden egg. Yup. You read that right. A large golden egg. The egg has a hole in the bottom so he can stick his thumb in it to carry it with one hand. George even wears a single gardening glove to carry the egg so the gold paint doesn't get on his skin.

But George also wears comfortable Seattle-esque shoes. Klog looking things, shoes for ex-hippies. He's always accompanied by his son, a tall, good looking young man of mixed race. Judging by their vocabulary and speech patterns, both of them are well educated. Obviously, George isn't a chicken farmer, egg farmer, or even a post modernist bok choi farmer. He's an educated, liberal minded man with an alter-ego.

George has assumed a character. I've never seen George when he wasn't in farmer drag. The funny thing is, he seems to know LOTS of patients in the center. I guess his get-up has the same effect as my tiger ears. It makes people smile. It makes them start conversations.

Bravo George."



and from Sunday, October 26, 2008
"On a separate subject, it looks like I'll never get to meet "George" and his son. When I had my Friday appointment, I rounded the corner and there they were, being congratulated by the staff on their departure from the program. Seems "George" has had a successful run at the SCCA. Congratulations to him! (The son was holding the egg when I passed. I made comment about it and gave them both the thumbs-up.)

I learned a lesson about missed opportunities. I shouldn't let that happen again."


Well, it's been just about a month since George was released from the program.

George died. Pneumonia or some other sort of infection got him.

Perspective.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

That's a big steaming bowl of suck right there.
Just when you think things are on the right track, whammo!! You run into a train on the wrong track.

Life is short. Enjoy every day!!

Anonymous said...

So this is why they say "Eat dessert first," and (for those of us who are older, "Buy ripe bananas." But on the good side, Andre, you memorialized George and his Golden Egg by at least noticing him. Thus his travel through SCCA was not a wasted passage - How many others smiled because of him?
And I will say the same of you, Andre(because none of us knows when the scyth will cut us down) that nothing is wasted and we all have something to offer that makes us serve a purpose. Be thankful for the lesson - I am glad you brought it to MY attention. Blessings, Annie