My Love Song to Sue

You were a bit of  a sprite

in those last days.

I lay  at the end of your bed,

and I asked if you knew how much I loved you.

And you said you wanted me to tell you how much.

So I told you that if I were to paint a picture of my love

it would be of a place where the sky is always violet

and proud blue spruces stand tall.

Later I made reference to a Downton Abbey  plot detail

you had not yet watched. You looked me in the eye and said, "Busted!

We giggled a bit. Then you let out a Sueism.

"If I have to die, I will die funny".

Jolly times we surely shared.

We had a little ritual for a spell there in the '90's

in which we would greet one another

by breaking into a silly dance: we never needed music to dance.

Hard times we shared too.

Walks and talks in which tears

and confidences were exchanged.

You were my for better or for worse friend.

You walked your talk, my girl.

And I adored you for that.

You could tune an engine and wield a hack saw

as well as the next guy. And I was in awe of that.

Well, okay there.

You go girl; you go funny

'cause funny is good.

 Zip-A- Dee-Doo- Dah- lady- friend- of -mine

For every dance step I take, I'll do one for you.

For each beach day I have, I'll send you a sun ray.

But if you were to ask me, my sweet girl,

more than dying funny, you died strong.

There will come a day when the skies

will open to hues of purple and aqua and

orange and red.

And we all who loved you shall cast our eyes upward.

If we look real hard, we shall see

a chariot drawing itself across the heavens.

A regal woman rests upon a golden chair.

And her name is Sue, Queen of Serendipity.

                                                     Sue and Paula August, 2012

Weeki Wachee River

 

Sue wheeling me through Lettuce Lake Park

Summer, 2011

Our yard sale at Sue's house

Playing Dress-up sometime in the 80's

At twenty-eight years old when I first met her.

Dancing Crazy

Paula, Sue and June

"Bad Taste In Outer Space"