Sunday, November 15, 2009

Bounce

     I'm having a harder time pulling it together at work. Last Monday, someone tried to tell me of a mistake I had made, and I looked at her blankly because i just wasn't understanding what she was trying to tell me. I felt...vacant. And stupid.
     I'm having a harder time pulling it together other places,too. On Friday, we went to a pub downtown to watch the Dynamo vs. L.A. Galaxy playoff match in Los Angeles. It was crowded. I felt uncomfortable, out of my element. Oh, no. I realized that this was a place Maura had described to me, a place she and Katie had been to. Maura loved having fun. Who doesn't? But Maura was so good at it. She could brighten everyone's day and make us all have fun. Sob, sob. Except now. I really just wanted to go home.
     Things got a bit better after the game started. But it was a weird game. The ref made some bad calls. The lights went out in the stadium in Carson, CA and the game was stopped twice for a total of 30 or 40 minutes.
     At half-time, the Dynamo representatives that were at the pub announced the winners of the silent auction items, proceeds of which were going to the Dynamo Charities. Then he announced a Live Auction for a Dynamo Party Pack, "which includes, among other things, two Dynamo players that come to your event to sign autographs, and a Dynamo Moon Bounce." What? What did he say? A moon bounce? A Dynamo moon bounce? "And we will start the bidding at $100." And I thought of the blog I wrote just a day or two before Maura went into the hospital for the last time, when we were planning her graduation party, and I announced that we would have a moon bounce, at Maura's request. Maura really wanted a party with a moon bounce. She never got it. Instead, the tumors grew, her kidneys failed, and she died. 
     Joel, I said, let's bid on the Dynamo Party Pack. "Who will start the bidding at $100? Yes, the woman with the Dynamo scarf." And I realized I was standing up, with my hand held high, wearing my Dynamo scarf,  "Who will bid $150?" And Joel said, What are we bidding on? It's a Dynamo Party Pack, I replied, and the players come to the party and there will be a Dynamo moon bounce. A what? You know, the jumpy jumpy thing that Maura wanted for her graduation party. "Who will bid $150? 150? Yes, I've got $150. who will give me $200 to have two Dynamo players come to your event...?" One more time, Nikki and Danielle were both prodding me. No, it's too expensive. And Joel, still confused, What are we getting? It's for Maura, I said. A party for Maura. Can we go again? Joel raised his hand. "Yes, $200. Who will give me $275?" Oh my gosh.  A minute later, they came to our side, took our credit card, got our information, and, for $200, we became the proud owners of a Dynamo Party Pack, which includes, among other things, two Dynamo players that come to our event to sign autographs, and a Dynamo moon bounce! 
     I cried. Duh.
     So now we are working on a plan. We've decided that we will use the Dynamo Party Pack in a fundraiser for one or both of Maura's funds---Sarcoma Research at M.D. Anderson and/or the music scholarship endowment fund in her name at SHSU. Kind of exciting!


5 comments:

Kathy said...

I think this was just meant to be, like Maura herself was there with you saying, 'Hey mom. Let's do the moonwalk and have the party now' I wouldn't doubt it. On the Bio channel on Saturday night, I watched a show called "Unexplained Mysteries" and the focus of that particular episode was angels. They interviewed Doctors, nurses, ordinary citizens and children who all believe they witnessed the presence of an angel that saved them or guided them or told them they were chosen for some task. Oftentimes, that angel was a family member. After my mom died, I went through a few years of life Hell bent on self destruction. I don't doubt for a minute that my mother had something to do with me surviving all that stupidity. Sometimes, the cooincidences were just too blaring to ignore. Maura is going to get her party and her moonwalk and if I can be there, I will come with my checkbook!

Lydia Medeiros said...

I WANNA COME!!!!!!! MOM!!! A DYNAMO MOONWALK??? THAT IS SOOOOO COOL!!!! MAURA WOULD LOVE IT!!!!! And geez what a deal! =)

What a great event...you should have one of those blooddrive vans stop by too so people can give blood to MD Anderson while they party...although...perhaps it would be hard to bounce if they just lost their blood. Hmmmmmm....

Maybe it could be a whole event...like auctioning...singing...lots of food! Oh the ideas are endless!

Chelsea said...

Oh my gosh I love it!!!!!!!

Elsa D. said...

I wanna come too! :)

Erin said...

If I could get Kathy from IL, Lydia for NY, Chelsea from FR, and Elsa from MA, all to come to TX, THAT would be a miracle-and fun!