2621. Old friends © Bruce Goodman 22 January 2023

Coral and Ginger were well into their 80s. They had been friends for years; in fact they had started kindergarten together way back. They both had had happy marriages, brought up families, and been widowed. These days Ginger lived at her daughter’s home. Coral was fiercely independent and lived alone. Coral hated the fact that she was getting old and couldn’t do things that used to be as easy as pie. For example she could no longer lift a heavy pot off the stove, or even pick up her beloved cat. She still managed household chores but at a slower pace, as long as there was no heavy lifting. And then the sad news came. Ginger was chronically ill. She had cancer. “If there’s anything I can do just call,” said Coral to Ginger’s daughter. And indeed there was something Coral could do. “What she mind ever so much to stay the night and fix Ginger her dinner and breakfast?” Ginger’s daughter had to go away overnight urgently and Coral would be the perfect caregiver. “It would be a privilege,” said Coral. Off the daughter went! She had barely left when… Ginger fell out of bed. Contact Author Back to Index Next Story Previous Story