It was a rainy morning. I have made an appointment to Leon’s sister to come and visit his grave. I left early to get flowers from a local supermarket. I thought of red roses, for love. Too bad, there was none at the first store I went to. I got a black satin ribbon to tie the roses I was supposed to buy.
Determinted to get roses, I went to Fuquay-Varina to a higher end supermarket. Thankfully,there were some. I got home but I did not get the roses out of the car. I planned on telling no one of my itenerary for the day.
At 12 noon, I started to get ready. I was about to get out of the house when I ralized that my housemate is at my neighbor’s house. I am sure she will be mad if I just leave without notifying. Nevertheless, I left and just sent a text message that I did leave.
I went to the office to arrange the flowers I got. Then, I headed to Clinton. I want to go to via the route I usually go to. So I passed my old apartment, got to highway 24, interstate 40 then to exit 380. The route was so familiar. I decided to to ahead and not do the shortcut. I wanted to go as I would have when I first went to Leon’s house to do the admission sometime in December 2007.
His sister greeted me. She was walking with a quad cane. It was Leon’s. I was the one who ordered it in 2008. We talked about Leon’s passing. She told me about how Leon did not make his family know that he was sick. My heart broke as I imagined him sitting and waiting at the doctor’s office alone when he has an appointment. I wish I could have been there for him. It was last Friday of May 2009 when Leon was very sick and weak. His sister said that she has to call the rescue squad to transport him to the hospital. They tried to revive him multiple times and cannot leave his home until he was stable enough for transport. They never knew what was wrong with him. He never told anyone.
His sister told me that it was July 4, 2009 when he let his family know of his sickness. It was a guarded restriction on information. I came to learn that he had a brother who succumed to cancer years ago and Leon has seen the difficulty he has gone through.
He had multiple myeloma. A kind of cancer of the blood. He received treatments in Greensville where he was subsequently discharged to an ALF in Rose Hill. His sister said that he stayed there for a month before he passed. I had a two weeks off on the month of September with nothing to do. If I could have known, I would have been there for him. My last day to go to the Burgaw office was October 4, 2009. That was his last too.
His sister recalls that she was called at the ALF as they said Leon was ill and had EMS to rescue. His sister said that she was about to go to attend church that day and have turned to the ALF. At the ambulance, she rode and have checked Leon. There was no air coming from his nose. There was no beating on his chest. She knew he was gone. Still, the rescue squad have tried to revive him. He was put on a ventilator, she remembers. Declared him dead the following day.
We set to go to his grave. Leon’s close neighbors came with us. I remember Russ. He used to come and visit before. At Leon’s gravesite, I placed the flower I arranged. I said a prayer and have said my goodbye. I am somehow at peace. I have been to his grave. I held back my emotion.
His neighbors have invited us to go to dinner. I came along with his sister at a local Mexican restaurant. I have imagined eating out with Leon. I could only wish.
We came back to Leon’s house. I came to know that his sister will under hip replacement surgery on May 2. And probably, she will have a knee surgery three months after. His sister took care of Leon when he was sick. Probably, my coming over was his was of making sure his sister is looked out for. And Leon, I promise you, I will. I will make up for the time that I should have given you, should I have had the courage to call you.
Before I left, I requested permission to create an arrangement for Leon’s grave. His sister said Leon will be pleased. If only she knew how much relief and pleasure I got when she said yes. I also asked for a picture of Leon. I would want a remembrance of him. I plan to keep it in a capiz frame from the Philippines. Just a keepsake between us. I am glad that her sister agreed to send me one. But I think I will get it when I visit her again after the surgery. It is something I look forward to.
Leon, I will see to it that you sister will be taken care of after her surgery. For your kindness, I thank you for the pleasure of knowing you. I love you, my friend. I whisper.
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