About March of 2006 I was remodeling our new (current) shop location when I noticed an elderly lady was at the paperbox out front. It looked like she was having some difficulty getting the money in the machine. I went outside and offered to help and noticed that she had sheer socks with tennis shoes and a wind breaker jacket. Her nose was runny in the cold temperature. I guessed she was in her 80's and was using a wheeled walker. She was very nice and thanked me for helping her get her newspaper.
The next day she returned in the same fashion. This continued for over a year with all of us at the shop watching for Georgia. When she showed up at the paperbox, someone would go out and greet her and help her get her paper. Many times it was me and my son, Ethan (now 4 1/2). He would yell, "Georgia's here" as he loved to put the money in the machine for her and she would usually give him a quarter or two for himself.
We learned that she was a 96 year old retired school teacher that had no children of her own. Her only surviving relative was a niece in New York in her 50's. She flew out here once and we met her. She called us a few times and asked us to check on Georgia to make sure she was alright. She even sent flowers a few times.
Georgia fell about a year after we met her and had to go into rehab. From there she went into a more permanent facility, but her idea was to get back to her apartment. This was never to be.
My wife, Brenda, kept in touch with Georgia and her niece throughout the summer while I was repairing our home with Ethan. We have been a very busy family for a few years now. I have been telling my wife for months that I want us all to go visit her, but since the end of September we have all been sick with colds on top of being busy.
We are now winding down the busy of Christmas and I told Brenda that we are going to take some flowers to Georgia today and visit with her - no exceptions.
Georgia's niece had said to us earlier this year that she wanted take her back home to New York. We haven't heard from her in a couple of months and we were hoping (selfish) that Georgia was still in town. I called the facility to ask if she was still there and the young lady on the phone repeated her name. I said yes, but I wasn't sure if she was still at that location. She said, "Georgia Mason, the sweet, little old lady in her 90's that was very sharp?" I said yes, that is her. After a few seconds she told me that she knew Georgia personally and that she had passed away about two months ago.
Our friend Georgia Mason died on October 8, 2007 at age 97 - while we were busy.
We all wish for our businesses to be busy, especially now, and sometimes life gets busy. Just make sure that you are not too busy to enjoy life or you will find yourself too busy trying to remember what life was like.
Although I cry, this is not a sad story. Remember, Georgia was a teacher. I learned a lesson and I wanted to pass it on to you.
Here is a little information on Georgia:
http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/ben384.html#2
Have a Merry Christmas everyone,
Jason
The next day she returned in the same fashion. This continued for over a year with all of us at the shop watching for Georgia. When she showed up at the paperbox, someone would go out and greet her and help her get her paper. Many times it was me and my son, Ethan (now 4 1/2). He would yell, "Georgia's here" as he loved to put the money in the machine for her and she would usually give him a quarter or two for himself.
We learned that she was a 96 year old retired school teacher that had no children of her own. Her only surviving relative was a niece in New York in her 50's. She flew out here once and we met her. She called us a few times and asked us to check on Georgia to make sure she was alright. She even sent flowers a few times.
Georgia fell about a year after we met her and had to go into rehab. From there she went into a more permanent facility, but her idea was to get back to her apartment. This was never to be.
My wife, Brenda, kept in touch with Georgia and her niece throughout the summer while I was repairing our home with Ethan. We have been a very busy family for a few years now. I have been telling my wife for months that I want us all to go visit her, but since the end of September we have all been sick with colds on top of being busy.
We are now winding down the busy of Christmas and I told Brenda that we are going to take some flowers to Georgia today and visit with her - no exceptions.
Georgia's niece had said to us earlier this year that she wanted take her back home to New York. We haven't heard from her in a couple of months and we were hoping (selfish) that Georgia was still in town. I called the facility to ask if she was still there and the young lady on the phone repeated her name. I said yes, but I wasn't sure if she was still at that location. She said, "Georgia Mason, the sweet, little old lady in her 90's that was very sharp?" I said yes, that is her. After a few seconds she told me that she knew Georgia personally and that she had passed away about two months ago.
Our friend Georgia Mason died on October 8, 2007 at age 97 - while we were busy.
We all wish for our businesses to be busy, especially now, and sometimes life gets busy. Just make sure that you are not too busy to enjoy life or you will find yourself too busy trying to remember what life was like.
Although I cry, this is not a sad story. Remember, Georgia was a teacher. I learned a lesson and I wanted to pass it on to you.
Here is a little information on Georgia:
http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/ben384.html#2
Have a Merry Christmas everyone,
Jason
