This true event at Lindbergh Field might amuse you, but it scared the hell out of me. I had taken the Coaster from Encinitas to go to my synagogue. I would celebrate the holiday of Purim on G Street a block east of Ralph's.
Purim commemorates the Persian Queen who saved the Jews from a certain death. We celebrate with a fast. I descended the train and boarded the 992 bus for Terminal One, where Southwest Airlines sleeps. The seats had been removed and as I had two hours to waste, I walked where there was a place to sit and covet my Charles Dickens book. were other places to read my Charles Dickens book. A little gal was curled up and welcomed me with a quick smile. There were two empty spaces on her sides I sat on her right side gal sat in the middle of two empty places. s
"Is this seat taken?"
"No go right ahead." She threw a cute smile at me.
"Are you waiting to pick up somebody?"
"No my sister is coming for me. I lost my husband of forty one years, two years ago. He came down with a brain tumor and..." Tears emptied and Elizabeth confided more to me — as if I really needed this.
"Even several years back, I had a hunch he was seeing somebody else. It bothered me but I was brought up in Mexico and told to stick to my man. Everyone back in Idaho thought I was crazy when I described how he acted the last few years to my family. My daughters thought I must be crazy. He began removing lots of food from our refrigerator...Finally he removed himself to New York to be with our daughter."
By this time, I put down my book and removed a handkerchief from my pocket. Tears continued to flow from this little gal who had met her husband in Guadalajara, Mexico.
"Let's back up for a moment. How did your relationship begin."
" We began to write love letters back and forth. He proposed and my Mom gave me permission to marry him."
While Elizabeth spoke and revealed her story, a lady with curves in the wrong places sat beside me to my right. That is when Maggie interrupted my conversation with Elizabeth.
"I enjoyed bring up my two daughters who have provided me with seven grand-ones. That was all I wished to do but take care of my husband and kids. But he began to mistreat me. I didn't care if he played on the side, but when he mistreated me it hurt...really hurt me."
At this juncture, the lady on my right chimed in while the one on my left blew her nose.
"My name is Maggie. I also had a problem with my husband. He was a cook in the army during the Vietnam War, had to pick up the bodies. On bad days, he would place parts of their bones inside his vat to get even with those who complained. Of course they all loved my vegetable soup."
Maggie's daughter arrived with her baggage and she left...A few seconds later, a thin-grey hair came over with two pieces of black luggage and asked me to watch them while she bought bottle of water. She returned and replaced Maggie with Dorthy- I found out her name later. . She seemed warm and looked me right in the eye. She wished to know my name and my living.
"Well Dorthy, I am a writer but today I have become a psychologist. Are you waiting for your flight?"
"No I am here to bury my husband."
"What flight is he on?"
"Here, on my side." She pointed to the second piece of black luggage.
"Do you mean you had him cremated? She nodded.
" My daughter is going to pick me up and we'll stay at the Navies Hotel before going to Rosecrans with Barney's remains." She asked for my phone number and told me she lived in San Francisco. I gave her my card while the other on my left began to get up.
I kissed the little Latino's hand. She told me she would continue to vent and join a bereavement group when she returns to Idaho. She wanted me to meet her sister, but I felt like getting away from Terminal One. I needed to save my appetite for our Purim Holiday. (Not edited.)
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