Becky Manaugh

I am no longer answering my phones on Tuesday mornings. This phone call floored me. Literally. A hundred times I have thought over and over. Over and over. I am not angry at Becky leaving. It was so very much for the best. This woman. What a woman! 47 years young. The only reason why she passed on is because she gave up the fight. Her kids were raised and she was ready to go. That's it.

I met Becky way, way back. I can remember that her youngest was maybe 9. My oldest wasn't 2 yet. Greg, (her husband), asked me to come over to the house after church one night saying that I cheer Becky up everytime I'm around her and that she was feeling a little down. That one night led to me coming over at least every Wednesday night after church. Then to virtually every day. It was her sister that told me about my ex cheating on me. I was considered one of the family. That is such an honor to me. I helped cheer her up? She helped me in so many ways that only God himself would understand. This woman is so much like a Mother to me.

Greg taught my second one to walk. I was with Becky when I found I was pg the third time (in three years) and it was her lap I lay my head in when the doctor told me to prepare for Dink to be Down Syndrome (he was wrong). Lay my head in her lap. Becky, how many times have I laid my head in your lap and you stroke my hair cause life once more was hard?

I would have loved to lay my head on Becky's shoulder. This wonderful woman woke up at 30 years of age and couldn't get out of bed. She had rheumatoid arthritis. As much as she hurt everyday, you never heard her complain. Once she asked me to take her to Louisville to the doctor. I had never driven in Louisville so I printed out directions from Yahoo and off we went. I would have done anything for her.

In the doctor office, she's telling this man how when she walks she hears the sound like she's walking on fall leaves. The result? Becky has no joint left in her ankle and it will fuse eventually. The sound was bone on bone. Never did she complain. They put her foot in a device so that when it did fuse, she could still walk.

Funny. Walk. Becky was just beginning to have to use a wheelchair when I came close to her and she hated it. Great pride she took in caring for her family, now she was having trouble lifting pots to fix dinner. Eventually they talked the doctors into giving her new knees. God love her! In less than a month that woman was walking. 2 months they said, before she would heal enough to walk. Bull! I couldn't ever find her. She was EVERYWHERE! She would walk down the road to the store, to her family, to everywhere. I think she'd walked the miles to walmart if she had the energy! I was so happy for her!

Then, the arthritis attacked the new knee joints to the point they were now spreading out and breaking down the joints. Back to a wheelchair she went. Never did she complain. The tower of strength for me. She loved chocolate, desserts and food. I had so much fun with her!! I would bake just for her. Chocolate everything! God I love this woman! She was MY strength. There was no subject I couldn't talk to her about in what ever language I needed to use and for how ever long I needed to go on and on and on about it.

When I did things she didn't approve of she had a way of letting me know she didn't approve of them yet never would she condemn or criticise. To be honest, I don't know what it is she did to let me know she didn't approve, but I knew. Whatever decision I chose, she would always back me on it. She was my support, my security, my safety, my safe haven . . . She would have loved this weather. The sun shining, the daffodiles popping up out of the ground.

When I got divorced, there was no longer anyone to give me grief about going over there. (or calling to see who I was doing what with). I would work in the day, come home, go over to her house afterwards. Right now there are so many memories flooding each day of what we would do together that I don't sleep at night. I try not to cry any longer because my eyes hurt. I remember card games, dinners, snacks, laughs, movies, talking about who we think was good looking on what ever movie, especially star trek. She loved the bald guy. And Sean Connery. But her husband most of all.

I remember her telling me about the arthritis was now attacking her heart and organs. I cried and cried. Becky, I begged, you can't leave me. What will I do without you? You are irreplaceable. No one can do what you do. I need you. She would smile and say, "God will provide." God provided you! I didn't want anyone else!

Often I felt so selfish. Becky had four children of her own. She gave birth to mammoth children. Not a one of them was less than 10lbs. (and I thought 8 1/2 was big). I thought of them as my own family. I got excited at thier accomplishments. Girlfriends, boyfriends, acceptance to college, graduations. Phillip, Adrianna, Nathan and Paul.

I remember Nathan and Phillip once having a tussle on the couch and Nathan giving Phillip 'titty twisters'. Hahahha! Cause Phil screamed out like a girl. To this day I can remember his face and the sound. Adrianna was shaking her head at her brothers and Paul was trying to get involved in the tussle.

Over time I met my husband and this moved me from 5 min away to 1 1/2 hours away. I stopped by one eve because I was picking up my girls and waited and waited. She was out with her sisters for the eve. Greg told me that she wasn't doing well at all. She had lost so much weight. Becky was taller than her husband but was down to 88lbs. He said she looked like someone from a concentration camp. When I got home, I told Dad that she would die before I ever got to see her again.

So I wrote. I had been writing letters through her son's email because I knew it was hard for her to type and get on the computer. I figured at least he could print them off and hand them to her. This time, I took pen and paper. I 'snail mailed' her a letter. I told her over and over again how much I loved her and missed her, sent pictures, every form of contact I had.

Painting the kitchen not two Saturday's ago, I get a phone call from her. I was so delighted. I glowed! My whole spirit was lifted! It's Mama Becky!!! She told me she had an allergy where she couldn't eat anything with flour, starch, no pasta, no cakes, cookies and the list went on and on. I asked, can you have chocolate? Like MnM's? Yes. YES! She said, and I remember it so clearly, "You wouldn't want to see me right now. You wouldn't like how I look." She wasn't depressed or down in the dumps. This woman was chipper and upbeat telling me all this. And when she said she had to go cause her arm was numb, that meant that her arm had been numb for a long time and it was now too heavy for the other arm to hold up. Even in giving me this information, she wasn't complaining.

Last Saturday I was in Madison for Jame's funeral. I had to get gas so I was going to get a bag of MnM's for her. She was just down the road. But somehow, and I can't explain it cause I had it planned all day, I forgot. Now I find out that her family was called to come on Sunday because she wasn't going to last long. She refused to go to the doctor or hospital. They gave her morphine for the pain (morphine never stopped the pain for Mama Becky) She passed on in her sleep. She deserved nothing less.

I wanted to be there. I wished I could have been there. They couldn't find my number. Finally Tuesday Greg found my letter and called me that morning. I fell to the floor. I couldn't hold the phone. I didn't want to breathe any more. I .... cried out, I beat the phone on the wall. I finally, brokenly, told Greg I wanted to know when the funeral arrangements were. I have never spent so long crying consequtively in all my life. I couldn't function. Losing my Grandfather didn't hurt this much, but I wasn't anywhere as near to him as Becky. Oh Becky. Do you know how much I love you? (yes she does)

I can't say that I'm sorry. Becky no longer hurts, she can eat anything and everything she wants. She can do anything and go anywhere. I'm even a little envious, she's with Jesus. There is not one shadow of doubt in my mind. She stuck it out till her children were raised and then let go.

March 13, 2006. Becky finally got her reward for being the wonderful gift from God that she was. If for no other reason in the world than for what she was and did for me, Becky deserved Heaven. God welcomed her in with open arms and told her, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

I can't type any longer. I can't see my screen.

JAMES

I haven't slept well the past several months and the last two nights even less. I am very soul weary. Many times I've wondered just how much I can take before it begins to take a toll, now I know.

The phone rang this morning. My girlfriend Donna. I love Donna. There are no perfect people on this planet. I never expect perfection from people for the sole reason I can't be perfect myself. The idiosyncracies that are possessed by each person rang from one side of the sky to the other. All have faults, some are more annoying than others. (I don't know where I'm going with this, just bear with me.)

Donna has been there for me when I've hit bottom. I think I've hit bottom 4 times in my life. It's not a pretty place and I tend to hide from people when I head down. I've been heading the past couple of days.

Nothing could have prepared me. Nothing. She tells me to sit down. Now Donna is the best for stories, gossip, last minute - much needed - little known information, and a bit of drama to boot. Love Donna. I tell her, "I'm sitting down." Nothing could have prepared me.

"James is dead."

In movies when a man is at war and a grenade has gone off next to him, they present the silence with loud ringing in his ears. I felt the same way. My mouth dropped open. Life paused. I couldn't move. I forgot how to speak.

She continued, "He hung himself." The whole inside of me dropped. That undescribable feeling of your being dropping. That mind-numbing feeling. The coldness that sweeps through your body.

She's sobbing while she's talking to me, but my mind can't make out anything but sounds. Tears are falling down my cheeks but the sobs didn't come till I was on the winding roads to work. I picture this young man. My age. With a brightly colored tatoo of a dragon down his arm. I picutre this cause this is how I first talked to him.

I remember where I met James. I remember having fun and dancing with him. Every time I talked with James it was a laugh. I remember the next time I saw him cause I recognized him by the tatoo. The dragon with three piercings. I was hiding out in the apartment below Donna's because of the company she had at the time. James gave me a foot rub. I thought, he's nice enough, he's funny, he's just not my type.

So I introduced him to Donna. They hit it off great. In fact they lived together for several years. She loves him with all her heart. When Donna would swing low, he hung with her. When most other men would walk out, he hung with her. He stayed and he helped. The two were good together.

I can't make sense of this. The always unanswered question of 'why'. Why? My age. Life has so much to offer. There's so much to do and see and explore. Even now I can't make sense enough to form the questions my physie can't understand.

I'm just numb. And floored. And wounded. To my depths I am wounded.

Coke~a~Cola

You SO aren't going to believe this. Well, those who know my mother aren't anyway. We go down to Georgia to visit Mel and Joey. That would be Dad's sister and brother in law. (Mine too I guess!)

While down there, of course we have to see George and Mom! So we call up, hey, whatcha think about going to the Coke Factory and meeting us in Atlanta. Hey! That would be great, we have to do the Underground as well. Allright! We're on it!
Since Joey knows Atlanta better than us, we put him in charge of driving and we followed. His car is full and our car is full (as usual). Would you believe that my Mom and George BEAT US THERE! My Mom hasn't been on time a day in her life. We always joke that she'll be late to her own funeral. No kidding! They were there ahead of us by almost 20 min. I was shocked. GO GEORGE! ( he is such a good influence on her.....)

After the elevator ride up there is a room with the history of Coke in it. The big picture at the top is this moving this that picks up all these bottles from around the world and moves them around, fills them with coke, caps them and moves them on. It was fascinating.

This thing here is some sort of bottle filler. I know, it looks like medical equiptment.
This here is one of the old time bottle carriers that they used. Look at the labels, they are made of paper. Coke was started as an elixer and actually had real cocaine in it. It was colored green. When it became soda pop, the beginning bottles had corks in them and it was actually drank at room temperature. When the bottles would get cold and sweat, the paper labels would fall off and you had to trust the bottle carrier that you were drinking what he gave you.

This was an example of one of the famous people that advertised coke. I have no idea what her name is but for some reason I swore to myself that I could remember. Nope. It's gone. Just like the wind.

Back then you didn't get paid for advertising. It was a "I'll scratch you back, you scratch mine." More people will recognize you cause your drinking coke, more people will recognize coke cause you are drinking it. Hmmmm, wonder how many stars would agree to that sort of deal now?

The next picture is one of the first bottle makers. So many people were trying to copy after coke and follow on thier coat tails that coke decided they needed a recognizable shaped bottle so people wouldn't be fooled by the fakers any longer.

They said that this is one of two that is left in the world. The other family wasn't willing to part with the other one just yet. It was neat because they said back then you could just reach down and tell my the feel of the bottle that you had a true Coke. This was the first time Coke was imprinted in the bottle. Still a little fat for today's standards.





Both of the above pictures are item dated back to 1915. I find it a little neat that I will actually be around (Lord willing and the creek don't rise of course) when these things will be 100 years old. Lets see, I'll be.....nope, not putting that age in here. My kids will be,......Good Gracious! Let's not look at that either! Let's just go on with the Coke factory...
Here are some of the imitators. FAKERS!!! I thought it was kinda neat to see how it has changed an adapted over the years. This wasn't the best part, however.

This wasn't the best part either, but it was quiet interesting I thought. This lady is being a soda jerk. (every time she says 'soda', you yell 'jerk') Could we use that excuse out while we are driving?
Anyway, she was showing how they made coke back in those days. (without ice of course) First she takes the 6 oz glass (that's your medium, large, supersized. that's all they had) put an ounce of syrup in it and then they gently put carbonated water on top of it. You could see the seperation of the two quiet easily. Now that was neat.

Then you take and add a bit of it real fast so it blends it all. They called them jerks cause you had to jerk the handle forward and then jerk it back.

COOL!

So then she's telling us how further on is where you can try all these coke products from around the world and there is this one from Italy that is the most tried but the least liked. Mental note: Try the nasty stuff from Italy. Okay! Next room!

Here is a picture of all different kinds of bottles and such. I thought it was neat. So did the gal that was standing in the middle of my picture. I cut her out.

So down around to the other room we go and this is the whole reason I wanted to see this place. I had seen on the Food Network how you can push this button and from across the room comes this stream of soda into your cup. (Mom can verify this for me) It used to be right into your cup and I didn't ask why (I know, amazing isn't it) but now it goes into this area and then into your cup. But all that arcing in the picture is flying soda pop. Now how cool is that?

I'm gonna be honest, this is no longer in order but I'm excited, what can I say? See, David wasn't so thrilled with the place. He said it was just another way for Coke to make money. I'm not gonna argue that at all, cause he's right. I try not to argue when the man is right. (he may disagree with that statement, but he's not writing this now is he?) However, he took the boy the whole time and walked around with him so that I could explore the place and, get this, never complained once. He would come up to me and tell me, "I'm glad you getting to mark another place off your list." Awwww.....now how sweet is that???? Ladies, he's taken! All mine, mine, mine. But the good news is, if Mom can find one like George and I find one like Dave, and I'm sure Mel would want me to add she found Joey, the good ones are out there. (Just don't go after the ones taken. It can cause things to get ugly.)

Anyway, back to the factory. If you look on the picture above, real close, it says from left to right: China - Watermelon, Kenya - Citrus, Mosambique - Ginger Ale, Israel - Lemon, Germany - Orange Cola, New Guinea - Passion Fruit. I had a picture of the one with the Italy cola but it didn't turn out well cause Bubs was moving but just let me tell you. IT WAS NASTY. I should of had the camera on video because of everyone's faces drinking it. It was like taking a great big drink of Alka Selzer. GROSS! Do people really drink that?

When you went into the room with these drinks, there were these two signs there. This is the one with Coka~Cola in different languages. You can see that the wave is about the only thing similar in every country.

Here is where they show you how they advertise in different countries and how it is spelled this I thought was interesting as well. Cause there are two countries that say "Please Drink", one of those is NOT America. Maybe because manners have gone by the way side? (my opinion shall be kept silent at this venture) Hmmmm.....

And for you motorcycle buffs out there that still haven't given me a ride, I thought you may enjoy this bike right here. We had to fight Bubs from climbing on it. He just thinks he owns everything. Where does he get that from?

This is what I called Coke Bling Bling. All of these were jeweled pieces of Coke items. Prices, here, let me help you read that small sign to the left.
Coke Cap - $1,950
Pillbox - $345

So, if you are needing Christmas gifts......

It only gets better, see these collectibles. I loved that the sign was in all different languages. Wow how small the world really is. Well, until the one you love is half way around it. Thank GOD for modern communication!
Anyhow, this train right here that my darling daughter is in front of was outrageously priced. Mel and I just couldnt' believe it. They sold 'pieces' of it for like $5,000 a piece. A piece! Good heavens! Do people really spend that sort of money on things???

Then again, I bought a tiny Coke bottle the size of my pinky for $4.00. It had real Coke in it. Added it to my souvenier shelf. Gonna have to get a bigger shelf. Dad is good at working on that list of mine. Awww, he wuvs me!


We end this piece with the adorable Coke bear. I love the Coke bear. Especially the Christmas commercials where the cub slides down the snow.

See my boy walking away? Had to snap this picture quickly. From the left leg, we have Doog-Boog, Dink, cousin Bethany (doesn't she look like a fairy child? She so cute!)

Right leg we have Jeremy who Dad tormented relentlessly. The dogs name is Bonkers, but he made sure we all had our own B name for that dog the whole weekend. Poor guy. He's a good kid. Here's he and Doog-Boog looking at music videos and such on the computer. Saw my kid in a whole new light. Then B-Bug and my RunAway son.

Then, as a joke, I yell out, "Now the adults!" Would you believe that actually listened to me?

Left: George and Mom. Below that is Dad and I. Then Joey and Mel. Behind them in the shadows is thier Mom, Mary Ann and her boyfriend Frank. He's invisible right now cause of the shadows. (My oldest took the picture as well. Don't think the flash was on.)

Mel and I may have gotten a bit out of control all weekend but since no one calmed us down, we just laughed it up. I looked forward to that trip because we always have fun with those two. The boy is playing on the stairs, the three youngest girls were no where to be seen most of the time and the dog and Bubs were inseperatable - well - most of the time anyway. That's for another story though.