|
SPRING
TREASURES: A Mother's Day
Tribute
by S. Marie Hugo
Early in the morning on April 2nd 1993
while showering, my phone rang. It made me wonder, "Uh-oh, what happened?"
Hearing footsteps walking toward the bathroom, I slowly opened the shower
curtain. Meeting my husband face to face with his outstretched hand holding the
cordless phone, he sadly mumbled, "It's your Mom; something's wrong." Stumbling
over the tub, I stood nude taking the phone from his hand and voicing a good
morning "Hi". My moms morning greeting wasn't so perky. "OH SHARRON...Alan
Kulwicki died in an airplane crash yesterday!" She expressed in horror.
Listening with shock, dripping droplets of water onto the floor, I searched
frantically for a towel to wrap around myself so I could find a comfortable spot
to sit down. Wrapped in a bath towel, sitting upon the bathroom rug, I listened
with sadness hearing my mother's grieving voice explain the details. I thought
to myself, "Oh my gosh, she sounds devastated, like someone in our own family
just died."...But you see.... Alan was a part of our family. We're NASCAR fans.
Our family grew up being race fans. Starting in May, every Thursday my
sister and I would arrive home from school and be greeted at the door. "It's
racing night, finish your homework and take a nap." Funny thing...I never argued
with my mom over taking a nap. Sis and would under take our homework assignments
as quickly as we could and both snuggle together in our double bed while we
listened to all the neighborhood kids congregate for an afternoon swim at the
house across the street. We lulled ourselves to sleep with thoughts of crashing
cars and eagerly awaited the aroma of burning tires.
My dad would even
plan a weeks vacation every summer to travel the tracks in Michigan and Ohio. He
knew where the hot racers were racing. In 1984 Dad died.
Winters were
lonely for Mom from then on but every February she came alive. She would always
have a certain spark about her. She spent Saturday's watching Busch Grand
National (BGN) and Sunday's watching NASCAR and "her" Alan on T.V. If I wasn't
able to be at her house to watch the races with her, she kept the phone nearby
so we could call each other to discuss how good Alan was running.
While
at our local track one night, Mom purchased Alan's collectible Matchbox car. She
displayed it on top of her T.V. While she watched the NASCAR race she would hold
and pat it rooting, "COME ON ALAN! COME ON ALAN!!!!!" When he won the 1992
Winston Cup Championship, I never saw anybody so excited and thrilled! She even
kissed his little car! Anything she could get her hands on of Alan's she had;
posters, t-shirts, news-articles, etc. She treated and respected him as her own
son. She was so proud all curled up on her couch watching him receive his awards
at the NASCAR banquet; you would have thought she was in New York City with him.
Alan's death was very devastating for her. She mourned for
days. On
April 16th Mom's lung collapsed. Things didn't seem too bad and the doctors
assured us that she would get better soon and come home. I had purchased an Alan
Kulwicki sweatshirt at a local car show for her for Mother's Day. I presented it
to her while she was in the hospital. Almost comatose, she just smiled.
On April 27th Mom joined Alan forever. Her all-time favorite
number
was always #7.
My sister and I decided to bury Mom's little Matchbox car
#7 with her and placed it upon her ashes. Treasures that will be held in our
hearts forever.
As local racetracks open all over the North Country this
weekend. While the opening track prayer is recited, we pray for my mom and Alan.
Spring treasures forever.
S. Marie
Hugo
About S. Marie Hugo
S. Marie Hugo, Author
of TENDERPAIN..After Daddy's Suicide..a poetic
journey, (ISBN 0-9704463-0-6) a poetic
memoir of a father's life and tragic death seen through the eyes of his
daughter. This compelling collection of verses will show a satisfying blend of
strength, hope, survival and love throughout the authors healing journey. S.
Marie lives in a city once called a village, Essexville, Michigan. The craft she
calls her most loved passion is writing children's picture books. Visit
Marie Hugo at Hugo's Haven.
|
