Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Porch visits...

I have a few minutes to write... Sam went to the Newport house and the boys are not here... I have sooo much to tell you but I never find the time to get it all out on paper, or email or whatever..... you know what I mean!
Soooo lets see where shall I begin...
 
I should be taking a chapter quiz for my real estate exam coming up or going over some loan docs to make sure they are not charging us outrageous fees but I don't wanna be a grown up right now ;) 
That loan process has been making me crazy...
get this situation... 
growing up my mother and my father got me a social security number
[Different numbers - same time frame because the numbers are very close] Anyway, when my father passed away leaving me some money... my Mom was 'Guardian of the Estate of Kendra Rose" etc... [I was 15 at the time.]  So my Mom realizes there are two numbers and cancels one - only she kept using the canceled one and not the valid one...  I filed my taxes, opened Credit Cards, Home Loans, you can imagine... I used that number my whole life and then during my last birthday...I had to renew my D. L. so I head to the DMV "What is your SS number" so I tell her... "Sorry that is not your number, we now need it to be verified by the Social Security office... come back when you have a card or verification of your correct number" Grrrrr..... So I head down there and explain the situation and the lady is floored "It should have been caught before now" [28 years later] I leave there with my other number...  Now, try getting a loan and explain that situation... uh huh... So I had to write to all three credit places to get ALL my GREAT credit put on my other number...  [too bad it didn't happen 25 years ago when I had really bad credit! I would have loved to start over with a new number!] anyway it has been loads of fun as you can imagine...  I am surprised the lady who's number I have been using didn't turn me in for fraud!
 
OK enough responsible grown up stuff ick....
 
I want to tell you about a 96 year old lady at Glen Helen Raceway... Her son owns it and she lives there in this little brown house with a wrap around porch, she sells t-shirts from.  She is the info place when you come in and dont know where to go.
I have known her for about 6 years and we click!  I just love Betty... she's a kick...
What is with me and old people who scare others,but make me smile at their grouchiness...?  One of the first things Betty said to me ...after deciding she liked me...  "Which one is your husband so I dont yell at him?"  She cracks me up...
Every year during the pro national I work the info center for her.  Helping people find where they are going etc... If she did it no one would return... she is so snappy! ;)  I do it for the 'all access staff pass'... he he I get to go anywhere... other people are behind the gates but not me... I can go in the pits whenever I want... see my favorite pros...  I love that...
I got Kameron one too... He says I could get in anywhere... "Mom, go work your magic"
that made me laugh... Sam would never do half the stuff I do... He is Mr. up and up... now... I am not Mrs. Underhanded... maybe... Mrs. I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine, or Maybe Mrs. Name dropper to get in the gate and behind the scenes... but never Mrs. Underhanded or Mrs. Illegal...  Defiantly Mrs. Figure how to get around the rules without breaking them... or who do I need to know to get in...
 
Wow! I guess you could call me Mrs. Sidetracked from the subject right now!
 
Ok... So where was I... Oh ya Betty... I haven't seen her in awhile because the boys were not racing... I knew her Hubby Dan was sick but I hadn't heard anything else... Dan always rides around in a Gator with a safari hat on [the metal kind] he is so easy going and happy to see you... I didnt see him anywhere...So I asked around  he had passed away a year and a half ago...  I told Sam I was heading up tosee Betty... and there she was on the porch, with her hat that she loves...  it is shaped like a fishing hat-the kind with lures and says'Moto Girls'... She is a pleasantly plump woman with a round face, blue eyes and a smile that lights up my soul!
"Hi Betty! How've you been"
"Where have YOU been I have been worried about you"
"You have?" How funny I thought then remembered how ill I had been 6 years ago when I first met her [I'll tell ya about it later]
"Wondered if you had gotten sick again"
"Nope, I'm fine now... all healed up... I'm so sorry to hear about Dan,  I just found out" I grab her hand and sit next to her.
"That was about 17 months ago,  Did you hear about my great - grandbaby?" she said softly
[Died of SIDS]
"Yes, I'm so sorry it must be hard with both of them going"  
"the day I heard I broke out in Shingles, I can't get rid of it...been a year now... I been in and out of the hospital, Dr.'s are stumped dont know what to do with me... Only time I am not in pain is when I lay perfectly still ...or when you come around..." and she smiles... I smile back... we talk... I get a feeling she is ready to go... she seems tired and without her Dan life just isn't the same... so I ask her!  [Everyone tip toes around a subject like that but not ME I jump right in feet first]
"Betty, you seem tired... are you ready to go..."
she takes a big sigh thinking
"Yes.... I got a couple of things to do first but yes I'm ready" she starts telling me about some property in Washington she owns and how she needs to get up there and go through some stuff but I get the feeling she knows she wont do it..."and I need to get a hair cut and perm first"    she states firmly and I know she will get that done...!
I suddenly realize I don't know very much about her... So I ask where she was born
"Walla Walla, Washington" and I laugh at the way she says it...
We talk and talk and then she makes my day she says
"My sister and I were suppose to grow old together... both our husbands had passed away but she had breast cancer and passed too... you remind me alot of my sister... she was just like you...no matter where we went we always had fun... didn't matter what we were doing... we were laughing and having a good time" she smiles at me and I almost start crying... that same morning I was IM'ing with Phil and he said something like that about me too...  I am amazed to see me through their eyes...  if that makes sense to you...
sometimes I only see that kid who could do nothing right... then you see you thru another persons eyes and its an amazing gift they give you... did ya get that?
Well anyway... someone came to Betty's to go over some money from the Raceway so I excused myself... I could tell she was disappointed our visit was over... so I said as I left "I'll be back next weekend... so don't GO anywhere okay"  she laughed "Ok... I'm not GOing anywhere... bye Honey" she got what I meant and thru it right back at me ;)  Sometimes just visiting on a porch is the best thing in the world...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You have a way with people Kendra. Remember our first phone conversation? It was like we'd been sista friends forever.
You truly have respect for the elderly, I can tell. I'm sure Betty with be there waiting for you next weekend.
I cannot believe the SS story. OMG !! What a mess.
big hugs,
E.

Anonymous said...

She sounds like a sweet lady, just like you.  Thanks for sharing that with us.  Take care sexy.

Phil

Anonymous said...

Awww I'm glad you and Betty had such a nice visit. You are a sweet person and I'm glad to have met you online.
Take care and Hugs, Chrissie

Anonymous said...

i read the email you sent me but dont know how to respond and then i read this. The only time i believe i am worth anything is when i am around others who say it. Then i am alone again and i believe i am nothing. This entry is awesome, that 96 yr old lady sounds like a TREASURE. But then again, YOU are a treasure too.
love,lj