I just heard Frank McCourt has died. I recommend to all you aspiring writers out there to read Frank McCourt's work, Angela's Ashes, 'Tis, and Teacher Man. He is an inspiration for me. I am saddened beyond words that I will never have the opportunity to read another book by this great writer.

**As it appeared in Her Voice magazine May 2009...Enjoy! ( I hope)

 

It all began with a dry patch of skin, about the size of a pencil eraser, right at the end of my nose. That innocent little dry patch that I tried to drown with moisturizer  turned out to be cancer.  

The removal and repair left zig-zag  stitches down the bridge of my nose.  At first sight I swore in a flood of tears to my husband, Jim, that I wasn't leaving the house until  I looked semi-normal. My nose was swollen and crooked.

He tried to console me. "Remember the doctor said there would be some pulling from the skin flap, and it will relax eventually."

 I cried all the harder. "He said it would be MONTHS! And I'm not leaving this house until it's normal again. Not even to go to work! " I put the wad of bandages back on.

Jim looked worried. He was contemplating life with a recluse.

 My eleven-year-old son, Connor, didn't even blink when he first caught sight of it.

" That's nothing, Mom. Remember, I've seen JAWS.", the love in his eyes wrestled with the urge to gag. It warmed my heart.

Well, it WAS the Friday before the start of school. Supplies and shoes needed to be purchased. For Connor and his brothers I would brave the cruel world.

Jim and I stopped by the A-Pine restaurant for Mary Etta's pie, a little slice of courage, before heading to Brainerd. At that time of day it was just Jim and I at one table and a group of men in their sixties at another. I've never felt so self-conscious.

First one of them glanced over. Then another. Then another. All were too polite to outright stare. Finally I managed to catch the eye of the one who looked a bit like my uncle Harold. He was wearing a Bass Master jacket.

"Fish hook." I said.

He nodded matter-of-factly.  "I knew it." He turned to one of his buddies. "I had it happen just like that. Lit into a big cat in the Red River over in Fargo. It threw the hook . Ended up right here." He pointed to a faint dimpling on his chin.

"Had to get a tetanus shot and everything."

                  

"You think that's something? Take a look at this." said the one in the Twins cap, pointing at a spot just behind his left ear. "Can you picture me in the ER with a lure dangling like a fancy earring?"

We all paused for a moment to take that image in. I could picture it.

It seems they all had a story to tell regarding a fish, a hook, and a scar. I was part of the brotherhood. Well, sort of. In the end they offered to pay for our coffee and pie, telling my husband he had quite the brave little lady there. We declined the offer, but it was certainly appreciated.

"Yeah, she's something, all right.", he just nodded his head, shook their hands, and escorted me out the door by my elbow.

"Treat me gently", I reminded him. "I've been through an ordeal.  Right, guys?"  I said good-bye to my new friends.

We stopped by the Oasis for gas. The young man waiting in line just behind me had "skate boarder" written all over him: board shoes, flat-brimmed hat. He fidgeted while yet another caring soul, the cashier, asked "what happened to your face?".   I assumed he was talking about my nose.

"Half-pipe." I snuck a look at Tony Hawk behind me. He gave me an incredulous look. I pretended not to notice.

"Half-pipe?", the cashier asked.

"Yeah. I tried to add a kip to a kimmy, but I forgot to shimmy.  Adds an increased degree of difficulty to any move.  Didn't quite pull it off. I'm still working it out". I gathered my change. Two sets of eyes watched as I left. I was tempted to add a kip as I zipped, but I fought the impulse. Enough blood had been shed.

Next stop was the mall.  Miracle of miracles, we found shoes for the boys. They are more particular about their shoes than I am. The checkout girl was about  twenty-years-old and had multiple piercings in her ear, a small, tasteful , skull -and -crossbones in her right nostril, and a tongue ring she was just growing used to. She talked like she had a wad of peanut butter in her mouth. The tongue ring kept clicking against her teeth.

Click!click!click! She clucked her tongue against her teeth. "What happened to you?", she tilted her head and bent forward to get a closer look.

"Nose ring gone bad", I said.

She recoiled, clapping her hand over her nose.

"Noooooo!" she exclaimed in horror.               

 

"Yyyeeessss!!", I leaned forward, resting my forearms on the counter to give her a better look at the carnage.                                                                                                                                                                          "I I was trying on pullovers at TJ Maxx. My nose ring got caught and the next thing I knew I was spurting blood all over a dry -clean only worsted wool. I will never wear a nose ring again."

"Oh...", her voice trailed off.

 I turned and wore a satisfied smile as I walked out of the store. If there is one less young lady wearing a nose ring in this world the whole thing will have been worthwhile.

On the way back to the car I ran into my friend, Teresa. She and I are both runners. Two of my sons and her son, Kevin, run cross country for Pequot Lakes High School.

She looked great, sporting a "healthy" tan. Kevin was with her.

 I really hoped to avoid anyone I knew, looking like I did, but you can't swing a dead cat (not that I'd want to, but you know what I mean) without seeing someone you know in a small town. It can be a blessing and a curse.

Her look of concern as she approached asked without words, and I told her.

"Skin cancer. "

Her response was one of shock, though skin cancer is becoming all too common.

I urged her, and I tell everyone who asks, wear sunscreen, every day, particularly between peak hours of 10:00am and 4:00pm. And make sure your children do, too, because my doctor explained to me this damage was probably done when I was young.

Teresa  gave me a hug. I felt better than I had all week.