Of mice and Sid

When you are in your early twenties and move to a new location making new friends seems difficult. But, one or two very successful pregnancies later, your kids are introducing you to an ever expanding group of people, their new friends, the parents of, etc. Baby sitters are found and their parents, one becomes your taxman. Another in line to be your undertaker, Sid. 

There were three Lisa's in the neighborhood and our two knew all of them. Sid and Betty were the parents of one of the three and a nice friendship developed. Betty was a nurse, Sid an undertaker...seemed to have everything covered.  So when my back went out the first time and I laid there twitching on the floor, does Mary Ellen call the nurse? Right! Hi Sid, how's things? Since the ambulance service in Danvers was connected to the largest undertaker in  town, the outcome was, three undertakers and a cop or two get me into an ambulance and ship me to the hospital. I don't remember Sid visiting me, he most likely got lost coming in the front way!

One of Sids' projects was a boat. Since he had a barn he was able to build his own watercraft over a long period of time. More than  a few laughs were had about the Titanic. Completion was accomplished and the boat launched...and pulled back out, quickly. Seems the seams leaked. Caulking, etc and a second launch was more successfully completed. He never was able to put a large enough engine in it so that the boat would glide over the tops of the waves. The Titanic ended up as a big conversation piece in the barn. 

Along with the barn came a large house on a stone foundation. This was typical construction for older New England homes as it utilized what was available, plenty of rock. It did allow field mice an easy access and kept the cat and dog occupied. One Sunday the four of us were having a nice dinner, when out of the corner of her eye Mary Ellen spotted small mouse. Mice didn't bother her, so between all of us we cornered the poor creature under the bureau. Three of did, not Sid. After a capture and release we asked Sid why after all of the things that he normally encounters that a mouse would bother him? Answer: His patients do NOT move!

On one occasion I went with him to make an out of state pick up. The weather was truly awful and driving was something I've always been comfortable with. He told some funny stories up and back...undertaker humor, a bit strange! But that trip wasn't as strange as wall papering an undertaker's parlor with flocked wallpaper, the place ended up looking like a bordello, but they liked it and we got paid!

Sid and Betty's marriage ended shortly and another friendship with it. Too bad! I still have the memories though, good luck Sid, good luck Betty.