Keith found Lynne on her hands & knees and then found out what she needed and he could give: “I went over and gabbed Lynne by the front arms and pulled her into a hug. I don’t think I have ever picked her up that easily, “I nudged her into a chair. She nodded off to her right side, eyes closed. I had just fought through 2.5 hours of Seattle traffic from Bellingham. “Oh no you don’t mein sister.” I put my head down and thought, I need you need to try to be with me now.” Pretty selfish actually, but I got over myself. I then slowly started to rub her right calf. She leans over when she walks and grabs her legs often. She does what I do when I can’t stretch every day, She rubs her back legs.
“Her calf muscle was tight as a drum. I slowly began to work it. Then went up to her thigh. She said, “Oh Yeah,” and then did some Lynne speak as we call it. She rattled off a litany of ‘Lynnisms’ and then crossed her leg.
“I did the other calf. Then the thighs. Slowly, conversing in the way she converses, which is a wonderful, real, foreign language, but makes a ton of sense when you are with her. She was sighing, and in heaven. When has someone touched me like this? And I thought, heck, this is the way we can get time together. I kept massaging and rubbing.
“I then tried the feet, she flinched and said “No, No, No.” I said gently? She nodded, and flipped her crossed legs. I tried that for a while, too much. Went back up to crossed legs and calves. I rubbed the top of her right calf, tight as a drum. Then her thigh. She said, ‘Oh Yeah.’ I did the other leg. We talked & walked, a magical 2-hours. She knew I was there, with her. Her little brother, there, with her.”
“And in the background the whole time was a Martin Luther King Video (today was MLK day), speaking to how he made the world a better place. There were women in the background saying “Yeah, I remember that day!” Justice to all this fine day, justice to all who are marginalized, and justice to the fine ladies of West Seattle Quail Park! They are amazing, and so are all those who fight for justice, as I know my sister was doing in her final days of teaching special ed to those who needed it most. Love to my sister and my amazing dad who showed up with Reese’s peanut butter cups right when she stood up and walked ten feet! We went all the way down to the end of the hallway and all the way back. Then it was time for lunch and awkward goodbyes, as always, the awkward goodbye.
See you soon my sister, love you always.” Keith