Memoirs of a Mama: 2015

Good Job Kid

01 November 2015

This Monday will mark four years since my Uncle unexpectedly passed away. In years past my sisters and I have marked the anniversary by taking a shot of his favorite whiskey {I can't stand the stuff - so it is truly a once a year occurrence for me}. A few months ago, my sister Jody and I were having a conversation, reminiscing about my Uncle, when she suggested that we should do something different this year - something that involved our whole families.

My Uncle was a Lieutenant with the Providence Fire Department. There are tons of pictures of my cousins and myself sitting on the bumper of his station's fire engine through the years. Being a fireman framed the person he was - strong, courageous, dependable, selfless - and I was always so proud to tell someone my Uncle worked for the Fire Department. So, when the thought of bringing donuts to one of our local stations occurred to me, I thought it was perfect and my sister agreed.

Saturday morning Steve and I started off our Halloween a little different. We battled Dunkin Donuts morning traffic {because it had to be Dunkin} and bought two dozen assorted donuts. On the way to the fire station I explained to the kids what we were doing. I told them that firemen are very important people who have very dangerous jobs and work very hard to keep us safe, so we were going to do something nice for them and bring them breakfast. Autumn does not remember my Uncle and Nate was never able to meet him - so for now, this will be a good deed we do - and when they are old enough to understand I will tell them about the man who inspires this good deed.

We got to the station and a few guys were outside talking in the garage. They saw us pull up and a confused, concerned look quickly turned to smiles when I got out of the passenger side of Steve's truck holding two boxes of donuts. "Good Morning!" we said "I hope you guys like donuts!"

They were lovely. One of them ran inside and grabbed the box of candy they were saving for the trick-or-treaters that night and told Autumn and Nate they could have first dibs. They let them explore the fire truck and turned on the engine's lights. The kids walked away with stickers and coloring books and we all left with big smiles and full hearts.

Steve asked before we pulled in if I wanted to explain to the firemen why we were there. I told him, if he felt like the moment was right he could, but I still have a hard time talking about my Uncle without crying and there is no way I could talk about him to another fireman. While I watched Autumn and Nate explore the fire engine I could hear Steve in the background talking about my Uncle. He told the firemen about who he was and where he had worked. He told them what a wonderful man he was and he thanked them for doing what they do because it was one of the things that had made him so wonderful. I listened to Steve and I smiled.

Once the kids were done exploring and the chit chat slowed, we said our goodbyes and loaded back into our truck. Steve rolled down the windows and the kids excitedly waved goodbye and as we pulled out of the parking lot I could hear my Uncle say "Good job kid."

          "Our legacy is really the lives we touch, the inspiration we give,
          altering someone's plan - if even for a moment -
          and getting them to think, cry, laugh, argue.
          More than anything, we are remembered for our smiles;
          the ones we share with our closest and dearest,
          and the ones we bestow on a total stranger,
          who needed it RIGHT THEN, and God put you there to deliver."
     ~ Carrie Hamilton