a message from beyond
The night before the St. George marathon, after eating a big glob of angel hair pasta and shrimp in buttery garlic sauce, we were riding back to my friends house. I had a missed phone call in the restaurant and checked my voice mail. Of course, with caller ID and all, I knew who the call was from and expected a message from that person.
Instead, the message I got said (in a still recognizable slur made possible by progressing Lou Gehrig's disease):
"Hi Donna. This is Bob. I won't get to visit with you tomorrow because we are going to Park City. Have a good run and I will catch up with you later".
It was my friend and running buddy, Bob, who had died a year ago from Lou Gehrig's disease, which is supposed to be rare, but if it is, why do I know so many people who know someone who has it? Bob qualified for Boston in St. George about 3 years ago, just before he found out he would lose his voice and just about everything else, to LG, which in this case does not mean "Life is good". Bob did make it good for all of us. Even though he was dying, he kept on living.
The last time I saw him I asked him to give me a sign each year in St. George. Last year, it was rain the entire way (just like our Boston marathon in 2007). This year it was the phone message. Yes, it was a message I had saved in my voice mail two years ago, but it was ironic that it would play for me the night before the marathon. I had goose bumps as I listened to his voice.
The marathon was great. It was my 15th St. George - sunny weather that only got to about mid 70's. Suzanne and I came in under 4 hours (3:58 to be exact). All the miles were good ones, devoted to friends, living and dead.
I was just happy to be there again - all my parts held up and hopefully I will be there again next year. Thanks Bob.
Instead, the message I got said (in a still recognizable slur made possible by progressing Lou Gehrig's disease):
"Hi Donna. This is Bob. I won't get to visit with you tomorrow because we are going to Park City. Have a good run and I will catch up with you later".
It was my friend and running buddy, Bob, who had died a year ago from Lou Gehrig's disease, which is supposed to be rare, but if it is, why do I know so many people who know someone who has it? Bob qualified for Boston in St. George about 3 years ago, just before he found out he would lose his voice and just about everything else, to LG, which in this case does not mean "Life is good". Bob did make it good for all of us. Even though he was dying, he kept on living.
The last time I saw him I asked him to give me a sign each year in St. George. Last year, it was rain the entire way (just like our Boston marathon in 2007). This year it was the phone message. Yes, it was a message I had saved in my voice mail two years ago, but it was ironic that it would play for me the night before the marathon. I had goose bumps as I listened to his voice.
The marathon was great. It was my 15th St. George - sunny weather that only got to about mid 70's. Suzanne and I came in under 4 hours (3:58 to be exact). All the miles were good ones, devoted to friends, living and dead.
I was just happy to be there again - all my parts held up and hopefully I will be there again next year. Thanks Bob.
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