Monday Memories--Did I ever tell you about Alice?

When my children were pre-schoolers, I met Alice through an open housing human relations group. We were the same age and each had two children about the same ages. We began doing a few things together, like taking the children to lunch, the library, or the park. Our kids even shared chicken pox because I noticed spots on her daughter's face when we were all on a picnic. We browsed craft shops and garage sales, the kids in tow. We both read a lot and kept up a steady stream of conversation. I sketched and painted and she enjoyed crafts. She kept busy and involved, but decided she would pursue an advanced degree. This was in the early years of the women's movement and there was a lot of buzz about the value of being a mother vs making a contribution in the work place. Even I attended some "consciousness raising" groups at the university and felt the pull. It was heady stuff for young mothers whose highlight of the day might be a consult with the pre-school teacher or the dentist. We then began a rather complicated schedule of shared babysitting. She needed my help much more than I needed hers, because I didn't need as much time away from children. There was no time to just do the fun things in our little group of six. I was looking forward to summer when her classes would be over. One day in June she drove up with the children and announced she was leaving her husband. The three of them drove away, the three of us stood in the drive-way and waved good bye. I never saw or heard from her again. It was Father's Day.

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There aren't too many left in the Monday Memories group who post regularly, but it's a convenient way to recall some things of the past, even the less than pleasant ones like this.