One day I was about to go down the elevator (most likely on a trip to the music building). The doors opened and someone walked out. I gave them a friendly head nod even though they weren't looking and went inside. I walked in, pressed the ground floor, then smelled the elevator. I have a habit of smelling new rooms or area while examining them. The smell was familiar, oh so familiar. It was a strange smell that you think isn't pleasant to smell, but you continue to smell it anyways. It only took a second or two to figure out the smell. It was the smell of my aunts house. She had this smell to her that was a mix of the cigarettes she smoked and some other things only she would have around the house. It wasn't really a bad smell, it was just very distinct and unexpected.
That's right. It's been more than half a year since you left us. I forget exactly what happened but she left in an accident when she suddenly stopped breathing while she was driving and collided with someone. I remember that night. When we heard about we went to the hospital to visit her. I was thinking to myself of course she will be alright, she is very strong. I was there with just my mom and my cousin (my aunt's son). We were there for a couple of hours and I got a call from my sister. I answered it and she was saying she would be on her way. After I hung up I went to my mom and she asked me "Did you tell her that Sharon passed away?"
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Wait... What? I didn't even know she was already gone.... I thought she was still fighting, I thought she could make it, I though she would make it.... Why didn't I know it was already too late. I mean, I thought I could handle it if she was fighting when I was there then she lost. But I couldn't handle that she wasn't fighting. I couldn't handle that I was the only one who didn't know.... The rest of the evening was a blur. Many family members came to the hospital as well and the adults talk about how Sharon left us.
But wait. Even while she did leave, she left us many things. She left a son who is very strong and intelligent. She left us gifts, she left us valuable information, jokes, and she left us with memories. I still have her eye glass cleaners she gave me when I first started off with glasses. And I still have her voice in my ear. Her face in my mind. Her optimism in my heart. She also taught me How much you can achieve in at least 50 years of life. At her funeral there were so many people I didn't know. So many connections she had with people I did know. So many places I didn't know she worked. She has done so much I can't even imagine. I already knew she was great, and at the end, all of it was emphasized.
I'm back in the elevator, smelling this smell. Since no one else was on the elevator to look at me weird I smelled some more. Smelling as hard as I possibly could, to remember, for flash backs, for anything that would make me think about her. Because knowing these elevators, the smells don't repeat very often.
-Mark
P.S. Were you watching me? Were you reminding me?
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