7-17-97, 10:12 AM

I finally made it back to Kourtnee’s office at 10:12 AM.  Mr. Adams was sitting on the couch in Kourtnee’s office reading a magazine.  I walked in the door and plopped down on the couch next to him.  He looked at me and told me that Kourtnee would have a fit if she saw me plop down on the couch.  I looked down at the floor.  He asked me if I was going to give him a hug.  I smiled and gave him a hug.  He asked me where I had been.  I told him.  He asked me what I wanted to do.  I told him that I didn’t know.  He went back to reading his magazine.  I walked over to the table and went back to filing.  I only had a few more papers to file.  I was going to be through in a matter of minutes.  I finished my filing. Mr. Adams read the magazine.

I finished the filing.  I went to the couch and sat down next to Mr. Adams.

Mr. Adams:  Are you finished with your work?

LaDawnya:  Yes, sir.

Mr. Adams:  That’s good.

LaDawnya:  Mr. Adams, can I ask you something?

Mr. Adams:  Only if you call me Granddaddy.

LaDawnya:  I am not sure about that.

Mr. Adams:  Why not?  I am Kourtnee’s grandfather, so that makes me your grandfather, too.

LaDawnya:  I just don’t feel comfortable calling you that.

Mr. Adams:  Ok, what was the question you wanted to ask me?

LaDawnya:  Is it wrong for me to wish Mrs. Johnson was still here?

Mr. Adams:  No, precious.  Mrs. Johnson was in your life for a long time.  She left an impression on you that will last forever.

LaDawnya:  I feel so lost.  No one treats me like she did.  No one knows me like she did.  I feel so alone.  It’s not fair.  Why did she have to leave me?

Mr. Adams:  No one will ever treat you like Mrs. Johnson treated you.  It is going to take some time for someone else to get to know you as well as Mrs. Johnson knew you.  If you really want someone to get to know that well, it is going to take some time and patience.  You will have to work at the relationship.  God had a reason for calling Mrs. Johnson home.  I don’t know the reason.  All I can tell you is that after someone as old as Mrs. Johnson and I have lived our lives and given as much as we can give, we get tired and want to go home to be with the Lord.  It was just Mrs. Johnson’s time to go.  She had done all of her earthly work.

LaDawnya:  I don’t think I will ever be able to love Kourtnee like I loved Mrs. Johnson.

Mr. Adams:  Kourtnee doesn’t expect you to love her like you loved Mrs. Johnson.  Kourtnee knows that you have a special place in your heart for Mrs. Johnson.  No one will ever fill the spot that you have in your heart for Mrs. Johnson.  You have to find a brand new spot for Kourtnee to fill.  I am supposed to be making you feel better.  It doesn’t look like I am helping you much.

LaDawnya:  You are.  I just miss Mrs. Johnson and Arlene.

Mr. Adams:  Have you talked to Kourtnee about it?

LaDawnya:  No sir.

Mr. Adams:  Why not?

LaDawnya:  Kourtnee and I have been having a rough time the past few days.

Mr. Adams:  Oh.  If you tell her how you feel, it will help her to get to know you better.

LaDawnya:  I know.  What if I say something that upsets her?

Mr. Adams:  She’s a grown woman.  I think she will understand even if you say the wrong thing.

LaDawnya:  Ya’ll are really close.

Mr. Adams:  Yes.  I knew that she was going to be someone special when she was born.

LaDawnya:  I wonder if someone looked at me when I was born and said that I was going to be special.

Mr. Adams:  I can tell you that someone did.

LaDawnya:  How do you know?  Who?

Mr. Adams:  God, looked at you and said, ‘She is going to be someone very special.’

I smiled.

Mr. Adams:  See, there’s a smile.  I was hoping that I could get one.

LaDawnya:  Are you always this wise?

Mr. Adams:  Yep.  Always.  I’m one wise old man.