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Aunt Nadine - Both Audio and Text

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A VERY special lady... “Hey, Mom,” I queried, “who’s the skinny lady in this picture with you and Dad, when really young, beside me in the crib? And here she is with Father in a real old fashioned kitchen bending down to wipe away some Pablum on my bib.” “That’s your father’s younger sister,” Mother promptly said. "Your Aunt Nadine was quite a gal. She died when you were four. I wish you could have known her. She was just about to marry when Dad and Nadine’s fiance' were called away to war." “Boy, she sure was pretty,” I proclaimed. And Mom replied, "That gal was smart as all get out, and gorgeous head to toe. The guy who would have been your uncle, had they both survived…the man she would have married, and had always been her beau, “Didn’t make it back from France. And Nadine never married, so any time she felt I needed help with you and Tom She’d always plead to lend a hand and, up until she died, with no exaggeration, dear… was like a second mom! “She treated you and Tommy like the two of you were hers, and though I didn’t need the help, I knew that Nadine did. She often made the comment, ‘had they’d known that he’d be drafted, they would have married sooner, and immediately had a kid. “It warmed my heart to see how hard she worked to win your love, and make herself available for every special day. She gave you guys so many things, for silly random reasons, sometimes shedding tiny tears as she would watch you play. “‘Til Tom was five and you were four you sort of had three parents. I’m glad you asked me, Sarah, ‘cause I think it’s time you knew, You actually - wouldn’t be here - if it weren’t for Aunt Nadine, because of what’s the greatest gift she ever gave to you. “When you were three your kidneys failed, and you would not have lived if you had not received the one your Aunt Nadine supplied. Eight months later, thrilled to know she’d helped to save your life, the one that she’d retained would fail! Soon after…Nadine died. “Part of her’s inside of you. That’s why we keep the pictures that show you kids with Aunt Nadine. She never was a wife… And never got to have a child herself, God rest her soul…but, in her very special way… she gave a child its life!” PS: I've now got 4 new Audio-CDs - @ 4 1/2 hours each = (62 diversely varied pieces). They’re listed on EBAY - under - “Mark Stellinga Poetry” - or available by simply contacting me at -- mark@writerofbooks.com -- should those of you who enjoy listening to poems as well as reading them - and particularly those of you that travel - care to be so entertained. (We use safe and simple - PayPal) Cheers, Mark

Copyright © | Year Posted 2021




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Book: Reflection on the Important Things