Who To Thank For The Gift Of Life?

“I am sorry about your mother’s death?” Annabel comforts Maureen.

“Satan took so long to call her home,” she remarks reading the menu. “When did she die?”

Annabel stares at her in shock and these words ran out of her mouth, “Say what?”

“When did she die?” Maureen repeats.

“I don’t know?” Annabel said, reaching out from across the table pulling the menu down to see her expression. Maureen’s expression wasn’t what Annabel expected to see. She saw relief instead of regret.

Maureen looks at her and asks, “Who told you she died?”

“You did?” Annabel said giving her menu to the waiter, indicating their order

“I did? When?” she demands.

“Last week when eight of us were in the cafeteria at work and everyone was talking about what they were getting for their mother for Christmas. You said nothing.”

“Ooohhh,” Maureen said dragging her word. “So, the witch didn’t die.”

“Your mother is alive?”

“I guess so,” Maureen said.

“Then how come I never heard you mention her, not even once for the two years we have been friends,” Annabel grills her.

“Well,” Maureen said, straightening her chair as the waiter came with their lunch.

“Who ordered the chicken salad?” he asks.

“She did,” Maureen points at Annabel. “I ordered the Caesar Salad.”

The waiter walks away after serving them saying, “enjoy your meals ladies.”

They thanked him and Maureen continues, “To start she was born on the worst day of the year.”

“On All Fools Day?” Annabel asks scooping a mouthful of her salad.

“No, Christmas Day.”

Resting her fork in the dish her salad came in, Annabel let out, “No evil person was born on Jesus’s birthday.”

“Jesus wasn’t born on December 25. That date is connected to Pagan Rituals.”

“You hate her that much?” Annabel spews in shock.

“You have no idea the evil and wicked things she has done to me,” Maureen complains.

“And you don’t think you should forgive her?”

“Are you for real?” she said, easing back in anger. “You don’t know the damage that woman has done to my life.”

Annabel said, “You bragged about getting back on the airplane quickly after it crashed causing injury to you three years ago.”

“They paid me for my damage,” she boasts. “Plus, I can’t walk from New York to Florida in a few hours. I didn’t have a choice.”

“And the Amtrak Train that derailed four years ago damaging your luggage. You went back on trains in a week according to you.”

“They too paid me,” she reveals.

“Marlon, he crashed with you last week because he was driving too fast. Which you complained a lot about.”

“He has a death wish,” Maureen adds.

“But you still drive with him?”

“Ok,” Maureen demands putting her fork and napkin down. “What are you? Internal Affairs?”

“No, but I am just wondering how you have no problem forgiving three things that almost take your life away. Three things that pose a threat to your life, and you still allow them to try again, by flying, riding, and driving with these elements. But are having problems forgiving the woman who gave your life.”

Silence seizes control, as Maureen's eyes pop open. Slowly tears roll down and she said, “it’s hard ok. Your mother was better.”

Nodding Annabel reveals, “That is my adopted mother. I never met my real mother. According to my father, when I was six months, they had a fight and he packed his bags and left. She drove me forty miles into a rich neighborhood and threw me in a garbage bin. In certain richer neighborhoods, they used private sanitation trucks, which are called Front Loaders. The driver sits inside the truck and operates a machine that picks up the garbage bins, emptying the contents in a hole at the top of the truck. Then return the bin where it was. That day, the Front Loader truck that service that area, broke down. They had to use a regular truck. The two men who took up the bins had to open them, and that’s how I was found. The guy said, “I sat up in the garbage bin smiling.”

“Jesus Christ!” slips out of Maureen’s mouth. She reaches over hugging her friend apologizing “I am so sorry. I didn’t know.”

Annabel eases from her embrace then continues, “I thank her for giving me life because I love my life. I believe that I had to travel on that road to get to the one I am now. I love my journey to where I am now. I have learned many things about life, living, and people. I heard that she died of a drug overdose when I six years ago. By throwing me in that garbage bin, she saved my life. I can imagine how painful my life would be being raised by a heroin-addicted mother. So, I was saved by her actions, choice, and decision, unethical and cruel as they were.”

Maureen took out her cellphone and calls her mother for the first time in six years.

I had a horrible mother, but I not only thank her for life, I thank her for her bad treatment towards me. Her cruelty made me a better mother not only to my children but to every child that comes my way and need a little bit of love. I did the opposite of everything bad she did and improved the good. Humans are a species that must have a reason to act. Some of us possess the power to turn negative actions, choices, and decisions into something good.

How about you? Can you turn your negatives into positives?

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoyed it.

Copyright 2020 by Annelise Lords