You Never Know
Woman in the Middle | August 11, 2016About six years ago I met a tall, friendly man named Aric. We were in the run up to our cityhood election and he was interested in running for city council. Due to some paperwork mix up, he didn’t get on the ballot, but he ran as a write in candidate. We continued our friendly acquaintance ever since.
Aric wasn’t as involved in city happenings as much as he would have liked, I am guessing primarily due to his health. He had a lot of problems with his feet and legs, 10 hospitalizations, all culminating in him having to have his leg amputated about six months ago. Due to his medical issues Aric couldn’t drive, but his dear Diana did the driving for the both of them.
Unfortunately, Diana recently had to have a minor procedure that turned into a major procedure and she has been in the hospital. Aric has been getting rides from various friends to the hospital, but, in an effort to not keep asking the same people over and over, he posted a request on Facebook on Tuesday, asking if anyone would be able to give him a ride that night or any other night to the hospital. I had volunteered during a previous hospitalization Diana had had, but it hadn’t worked out. So having nothing on the agenda on Tuesday evening, I told Aric I would give him a ride.
When he hopped in my car, Aric said a cheery “Good Morning!” I reminded him it was evening. He said he knew, but always saying “Good Morning” was his thing, he was known as the guy who always said “Good Morning.”
Aric and I talked about Diana, about how they were thinking of moving to five acres they own in the middle of nowhere in the high desert, about our city and the upcoming city council election, about the upcoming presidential election, about how he was soon going to be president of his church board…..just all kinds of stuff. He was particularly happy to report that his permanent prosthetic leg was done and he would soon have it.
We got to the hospital and we sat with Diana for a while, discussing this and that. Aric kissed her hello and good bye. While we were there Aric mentioned that some folks from the local VFW post, where he was a member, had recently gone on a Panama Canal Cruise and had brought him back a Panama hat…made in Columbia! He also made a joke about how appropriate it was that the first gold medal the United States won in the Olympics was in shooting. Oh Aric!
When Diana got her pain meds we left. Aric requested we drive through Del Taco so he could grab some dinner, so we did. It took longer than expected because it was Taco Tuesday (remind me not to go to Del Taco on Taco Tuesday). More chit chatting ensued, nothing memorable other than where his Mom was moving to, where his kids lived, etc…. I like Aric a lot so being in his company was not a burden.
The phone rang this morning at 7:52 a.m.. It was a Facebook friend (and regular friend, too, since she has my phone number!). She had seen my exchange with Aric on Facebook Tuesday about taking him to the hospital so she knew I had just seen him. Unfortunately she had just seen on Facebook that Aric passed away yesterday, the day after I had seen him, of a sudden heart attack.
I am not writing this so you will think I was a nice person for giving Aric a ride the night before he passed away. I am writing this to remind you to be kind to your fellow human beings. That urge to be kind is sometimes something a little more, maybe a little push from a higher being, to make sure a kind, funny, caring, intelligent man gets to see his lady love one more time.
In memory of Aric, I wish you a Good Morning.
Very touching. Glad you shared. Funny, I just blogged about the importance of talking with those who are still with us about shared memories. Similar veins I think today. The Universe works in mysterious ways.
It does, doesn’t it? I am still in shock. What if I had said I will take you Wednesday? Thank goodness I didn’t!
Oh such a sad story but uplifting too. Thank you for sharing your “good morning” friend and your providential visit with him. 5850
This is a nice blog about Aric. I was so sorry to learn of his passing. Although I had never had the privilege to meet him in person, what I read on Facebook of the things he posted, I could tell he was a good guy. He will be missed.
Wow! It was great that you were available to help him out. We never know if we’ll be here tomorrow!
I feel like I know him the way you wrote that blog. I’ll miss him too.