For Hiroko
While at home in San Diego for the holidays, I mentioned to my mom and sister that I wanted to see Hiroko Evans. She was my babysitter until I was around four years old.
It was at her house that I fell in love with urban planning. She had a board game that was laid out like a city and the game pieces were a fire station, a gas station, and other such items. The object of the game was to see how many configurations of a city one could make. I spent a lot of hours making and remaking cities.
Here are a few more things I remember from those days:
I fell in love with dolphins after viewing dolphin slides through her Viewmaster.
She introduced me to English muffins.
She had a sign in the bathroom that read: "If you sprinkle when you tinkle, be a sweetie and wipe the seatie."
Her incredible and boisterous laugh.
The last time I saw her, she had moved into an "old folks' home." She was still funny and full of life, just like I remembered her.
Over the holidays, my family and I didn't make the extra effort to see Hiroko. I'm kicking myself for it now. Today my sister called to tell me Hiroko passed away Sunday.
*****
Tell the people you love what they mean to you while you can, while they can hear you. Give them their roses while they can smell them. Go the extra mile.
