Five years ago today, Mr. Franklin lost his battle with ALS.
As I've watched all of the ice bucket challenges on Facebook--some of you people (ahem...Mr.and Mrs. Lee....) are quite creative with those--my mind always turned to him.
But the truth is, we can dump all of the ice that we want but awareness--true awareness--of this disease, unfortunately, can only be gained by watching someone you love go through it. It is an awareness I would wish on no one. Ever.
Today, however, I refuse to think of disease or death or sadness. Instead, I will think only of good memories of one of my favorite people.
I will think of chicken gizzards and ass kickin' peanuts. Forcing me to swallow the green Mexican pills that he was sure would cure food poisoning and him lining up the entire basketball team and making everyone drink an Alka Seltzer.
I remember sideways glances about jokes only he and I understood. His uncanny ability to remember even the smallest details about every show animal anyone ever had. Ducking chalk he sent flying when someone missed a parli pro question. I'll remember him chasing us up the hill with scissors and paging people to the golf cart at his last sheep sale.
I'll remember that the man who would lecture me for an hour about not finishing my orange juice or who would make the boys run until they puked in practice was the same man that would get tears in his eyes and a quivering lip anytime you won a contest or said goodbye to leave for college. He may have had a loud bark, but his heart was bigger.
And even five years later, I still miss him every single day.
3 comments:
Oh Tiffany, I wondered about all of those ice bucket challenges and how they affect those who've really seen ALS's effects. I cannot believe it's been five years. Praying for you and all who knew and loved him!
I knew Mr. Franklin, nice man helped me out a time or two growing up in 4-H. I am sad to hear of his passing.
You know i was thinking about him last night after I left my last comment. He was a great man my herd was founded on his stock and he was kind enough to lend me a stud several times over the years. Every time i would buy a box of cheese from the cheese factory or some fancy chocolates from Europe as a thank you. Since he never charged middle school me for the studs services. and Every since time I would return the lamb and deliver the gift he was look embarrassed, "You know you don't have to give me anything right? It's the right thing to do to help each other out." Every time without fail and every time I would say "it's the right thing to do to say thank you, then I would tell him which one of the food stuffs I had given him was my favorite. he'd smile and say "that will be the first one I try" it wasn't the fair till Mr. Franklin had said Hi to you and you were sitting down with a roasted ear of corn and cup of peach tea from the buyers club.
Today at work I'm going to do the ice bucket challenge, my students raised 500$ over the course of the project we did. I was originally Specifically honoring Mrs. Goodman my wife's favorite teacher and a victim of ALS, Mr. Franklin will also be written on the donation info sheet I think it's the right thing to do.
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