A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child. --Forest E. Witcraft

Friday, November 5, 2010

So Unpredictable, It's Predictable

Tonight was the visitation for an older member of Sweets' maternal family.  Tomorrow is the funeral.  Her dad was also a good friend of this family member.  I talked to Sweets' dad the last two nights about the arrangements.  I was going to be at his house at 4pm today to pick her up and he was going to follow us to the visitation.  When I got there, he was not home and Sweets' aunt was waiting in her car to leave as soon as I showed up.  His phone went straight to voice mail. 

So, I picked up Sweets and we went to the funeral home where I cleaned her up the best I could in the bathroom and helped her put on the dress and shoes I brought.  She hadn't had a shower since being at my house last weekend, because there is no hot water at their house (since before the first of the year).  Sweets got to be with her maternal family, including both younger sisters.  She also got to see her birth mom. 

Finally after 6pm her dad answered his phone.  He said he was coming, could I please wait about an hour because he wanted to talk with me.  He couldn't come tomorrow because he had to work.  So, I called Miss M, cancelled going out to dinner, and asked her to feed the other kids at home.  At 7:20pm I called Sweets' dad again.  He said he was getting in the shower and would be coming soon.  I reminded him visitation ended at 8pm.  At 7:50pm he called to say he couldn't make it before 8pm.  He would come tomorrow and wanted to talk with me then.  Sweets had been saying all night, he isn't coming.  She knows him all too well.

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