LAURA IS A LOT OF ALOHA

Laura's Massive ALOHA

Did one ever doubt that the old geezer knew folks who were 'larger than life'???

The snap featured is of my lovely friend Laura, sister to another person known to.  To say that there is a story to tell would be putting it mildly.

I first met Laura some years back when she was in hospital fighting a nasty infection.  Laura is a massive woman and required a very large hospital bed.  Although she had been in hospital for some time, Laura was quick with a laugh and seemed delighted to have met another new person.  I remember we chatted for some time and then I left, not to come upon her for a number of years.

Waikiki is a small place and it was only a matter of time before I would run into Laura again.  Laura is a wee bit crazy when driving herself round in her mobility chair and it was at one of her brother's famous 'yard sales' that we re-connected.  Laura has lived in a small flat just blocks off the beach for years.

What started out as a kindly gester to visit one trapped in a mobility chair and living alone, turned into on-going visits that were a source of cheer to both Laura and me self.  Truth be told, Laura can be quite entertaining.  Laura is well read, surfs the Internet on her mobile daily and loves to watch reality shows on the telly.  Add a rather colourful life lived and you have endless hours of chin wagging to do.

The snap of Laura on the beach is a bit dated.  Laura is so much larger today.  At 4'10", Laura weighs in at near 400 pounds today.

The old geezer has had his problems with weight.  Bloody hell, at the largest, it was over 400 pounds for my frame as well.  Fat, for the old geezer, came late in life, but it was still a huge burden to carry.  When the lamp came on to take off the fat, it was over time and due in large part to a complete change in the way groceries are viewed. 

Truth be told, Laura's weight repulsed and frightened me.  So unsure of being able to keep the same thing from happening to me again.  I said some rather unkind things to Laura about her weight.

The odd thing about friendship is that it either overcomes the negative and grows into something beautiful of withers up and dies as a weed.  My ever growing friendship with Laura has allowed me to accept Laura just as Laura is.  Most of my willingness to see Laura is a positive light is due in no small measure to the sort of person Laura is.

Plagued by multiple health problems, Laura has still continued to find beauty in her world and to add love to it.

Laura took in a rabbit that no one wanted.  The old geezer thinks the rabbit looks evil, with one dead pink eye looking at one.  Laura loves the rabbit and cares not a fig that the rabbit is odd looking.  Laura took in a guenia pig that no one wanted.  Then there is FEBE, her rather large and very weird dog.  FEBE has a tail that wags so hard that when one is hit with it, it feels like whiplash.

Then there are the cats.  6 living in the flat and one male cat that wanders the neighbourhood feeding from one and all.  Did I not mention in the past that I loathe cats?

Laura plans her day round the needs of her pets.  Feeding, watering and cleaning up after is a very complicated process that takes hours of her day.  It is Laura's labour of love that she performs without complaint each and every day.  Laura loves her animals and in turn the love Laura unconditionally.

I adore Laura.  Like the old geezer, Laura is not without baggage, can be rather hard to take at times.  At the end of the day, Laura has a heart full of joy.  She still wants desperately to believe that folks have value, even the ones that have shat on her in the past.

Laura lives on a small social security check.  A good part of that small check goes to feed and care for her 'family'.

Laura is very clever.  She knows that the weight is not healthy.  Like I said, Laura loves her groceries.  So comfy am I with my ability to deal with food, is no longer bothers me that Laura eats more than required.  Some think of the old geezer as an enabler.  I do go to market and get food for Laura.  If I did not, someone else would.

Whatever faults Laura has, does not negate the fact that Laura is a very loving person and tons of fun to be with.  Truth be told, Laura keeps the old geezer so amused and depression is not a constant companion of late.

Laura's brother is having another one of his 'yard sales' today.  Rather think the old geezer will have to go and see of there are any items of clothing for Laura.  You never know what you will find.  Gobsmacked I have been in the past to come on items Laura was able to transform into a serviceable MU MU.

There you have it.  Another look into the world of Robert and the different sorts of people one meets in the walk through life...