I remember Ralphie

I remember Ralphie, who took me in when I could not afford to eat in 1994. He gave me faith in myself and faith in people again at a time when I was losing faith in both. We were neighbors from 1990 until 1995, and when I had gall bladder surgery, which I had to pay cash for when I had none, and then they took my car so I could not get to school, Ralphie was there for me. When a woman in her 50s goes to college, they will not give her work study, because she is too old, and so she either has to work fast food, or live on student loans for the amount of time she has to go to school until receiving her degree. That was what happened to me. I could not afford to keep my rent paid, because all my money went for tuition and some bills, so I could not even go into a grocery store, because everything was so expensive, and I had no money. Ralphie took me in and fixed supper for me, and I would wash the dishes. He gave me rides to the bus, so that I could go to school.

Ralphie, in the latter years of his life, loved to fish and work for Senior Citizens in Atascadero, CA, but he had Congestive Heart Failure, and I know he kept swelling up in his legs, for I saw the swelling. He died at 89 years of age, on January 13, 2007, having lived since June 3rd, 1917. He is now with Jesus Christ, and is seeing his wife, who preceded him in death in 1960. Also he is joining two of his children, Donna and Little Ralphie, who died in 2004, and 1997, respectively. Little Ralphie got stabbed and it was a mess, and Donna died of breast cancer.

One wants to say they should rest in peace, but I know that Ralphie is not resting. He is figuring out where he is going to fish, until God tells him otherwise.

Amen, Ralphie. Say hi to my dad and everybody.