Day 13 - Oran, MO - Part Two

Jim gets home a little later and playfully teased my Mom for being in his chair.

He's got a rifle with him and he puts it next to his gun safe.

It's been a long time since I've been around any guns.

He's puts away his lunch box and asks if he's missed supper.

It is getting close to time for us to leave.

But then Jim takes a seat and starts telling us hunting stories. We hear about the first time Clair shot a deer. The time when she stepped on a coyote. Another time with Mike and Jim wear up in a tree blind and could have spat on a deer that got so close to them.

I wish I could effectively re-tell those stories here.

I could attempt it but I wouldn't do the stories justice.

I do LOVE it when he describes one deer as "Charlie Bigbuck" in one of his stories.

I immediately post a status update on facebook that my new favorite phrase is now "Charlie Bigbuck."

And little old Claire sitting across from me "likes" my status update almost immediately on her iPad.

I'm hoping she doesn't bust me before we leave.

At one point, Claudette suggests that my Mom use a catheter on the way home. She thinks it might make the drive a bit easier.

"How would we get it out?" my Mom asks.

Jack makes a yanking motion and a sound similar to a pop gun going off.

The decide not to do the catheter on the way home. The risks outweigh anything advantages we may gain.

It's clear my Mom is all visited out and it is time to go.

We get her all loaded into the car. There are hugs that go all around.

It's at this moment that I realize that we aren't seeing Claudette in the morning.

This is really goodbye.

Claudette and my Mom are saying their goodbyes. My Mom holds things together most of the time in front of me but when she knows that she is not going to see someone again, she starts to sob.

I stay out of the car while they are doing this.

I shake Jim's hand and let him know how much I enjoyed my time here.

I look at Claire and say "You'd better not rat me out know, you hear!"

She just smiles at me and says that she won't.

Claudette leaves my Mom and comes over to me.

Tears start welling in my eyes as we hug.

I whisper in her ear.

"thank you."

She says in a normal voice "Thank you for bringing your momma home."

We're ready to go and Jack backs out of their driveway.

My Mom is sobbing as we leave.

Jack silently drives us back to the hotel.

I put my head in my hands and cry all the way back.