"DEE"DS TO A LIFE FLIGHT

At first I thought that she was just loitering around our store as she perused through each section of costumes that hung on the racks. I watched as she lifted piece after piece of clothing and marveled over the detail of workmanship. I could not help but notice her thick mane of hair that had a glowing essence of a bad hair color job as the glow was muted pink and my eye for hair detail told me me that there had been no "loving care" applied when it came to this store bought color. I noticed that she was very curious about our company and asked the questions that so very few people asked in such a professional demeanor. She was there to procure costumes for a professional job that she had been hired to do and needed a specific theme to them all.
I listened with the great detail given and I knew that I would need to get the design experts out to go over the information needed to answer all her questions. I had no idea at that moment that she was soon going to be flying as a passenger on the same flight that I would be sharing with her through this particular life experience. Before I removed myself from the meetings of the design team, I made it very clear that she was far too young to walk around with pink hair and in my aggressive manner made it a direct point that she get herself to the salon and have that removed pronto as it was not a hue that would denote her amazing talent for detail. The minute she smiled I knew that she instinctively knew that I was right and when I turned to leave I quietly hoped that she would appear again as I knew that karma was playing her hand in that first physical meeting.

She appeared again alright, as a matter of fact she graced our presence in the store almost daily going over the preparations needed for her client and won the hearts of all involved in the projects that we had been hired to do for her. She would carry the crown of "THAT GIRL" and would wear it proudly.
She was our first big production contract and who knew that she would bring even more clients after that event. In fact she was her own advertising company and would relate her experience with our store to many who walked in which added to the success of our store.

She waltzed into our lives and made it clear that she was there to stay. The plane door had been shut and we took off for the flight of a lifetime.
Her stature exuded a tone for directness. You never had to worry where you stood in her eyes. You always knew that you were her friend and the dedication gave you the rare sense of safety when she was around. Her tongue was pointed and candid which fit into the survival of all involved in our business. She could derail you with her wit and use of language, perhaps sweet sometimes and it created great paragraphed sentences with many four letter words involved, if need be. It could put you over the edge with laughter. She was a unique woman who did not move down the same trails as most women. There was a distance that she kept in matters of love. There was not the usual flailing unrequited stories of love gone wrong, or gnashing of teeth in gaining some sort of control over a man. That part of her life played out like a silent picture seen or heard only by the chosen few who would belong to any knowledge of the whereabouts of her lover. The dignity and respect of keeping her personal life close and personal was in deed an attribute that many could learn from. She chose her emotional comfort in doing things her way and knew the consequences of her choices. It only would make her the stronger of the bunch and in her solitude, on some occasions, make her dyingly sad.

There were too many people in her life to allow down time for too much self pity and she would always be the leader when it came time to work or having a party. The finesse to which she moved in a gathering of people was an enviable trait that I learned a lot from. She could command a room full of executives and keep them entertained by her professional way of taking charge.

If you needed someone to talk too, her ear was always there listening and never judging her right from your left. Everyone was an equal. She grew up in a small Pennsylvania town and had a firm family unit. As usual for a Mother and Daughter there was the tension that would create the distance to which made for a safer relationship on the parental side.
Her Mother was truly a defined woman. While short in height, she would make it up by using innuendo swipes at the one daughter who took the punches with impatient aplomb. Her MOTHER had married a man that held her up to the highest standard that is usually lost in a marriage as time moved on. Yet she maintained the ability to raise the most responsible woman I have ever met. Whenever her Mother would visit it would create confrontations that would send her happy demeanor flying out the door which would take her to the nearest friends house that held libations and natural herbs. It would be there that she would release the demons that needed to be set free and respect that "Mother" was tearing her physche apart. I always respected how she would walk away before the cutting of the tongue appeared. I always held a special place for the "TILL" and still smile at the graceful way she could sting you with her directness. She was loved by all who had the privilege to meet her and was always a welcomed family member.

The times that I have shared with this flight partner still resonate through me at least once a day. She was there when I had my first fight with GIN and the aftermath that was left in her car when I lost the battle from motion sickness. She put me to bed where I remained for three days healing from the physical wrath that it put my body through. We spun through Europe nearly dead with some kind of dreaded influenza that tore our lungs apart from coughing and still she smiled even as a dental malfunction took precedence with tongue craziness. I got the opportunity to tackle the thickest head of hair that I have ever seen in my career and she trusted my instincts for change.
She adored my dog and could create a scream from my canine that only she could get out of him. "Aunt DeeDee" was cherished by my pup and whenever her name was mentioned his ears would perk up in happy anticipation the she would walk in the room. The joy that my pup created for her encouraged her to take the plunge and adopt the cutest white bichon puff ball. Rosie dog would steal the hearts of all who got to spend time with her. She would be the ultimate love in her life and surround her with the unconditional love that she so deserved. When both dog children had to depart our lives, together she and I spilled the many tears of joy that those two animals put inside our hearts. Their heavenly love still surrounds us everyday in remembrance.

The connections we now share are in a long distance mode in this cycle of our life but the silent communication still travels within me. I know that I am being thought of with never having to talk to her. I have been lucky to be able to travel throughout this karmic life with knowing her . She unknowingly imposed a wealth of knowledge and compassion to me that I have used to better myself as a person. Whether spinning around in a MAIRE ANTOINETTE dress or being disguised in a picnic costume I could always pick her out of a crowd as her ray of light was a bright spot in my life.

I am looking forward to the renewal of our next cycle of life, as our maturity will gather us together again and we will be warm in the 4Th of July sun. There we will splash together on our floating island in the pool of water known as "FRIENDSHIP"