Kelly, my half-sister from my dad’s second marriage, briefly attended the University of Iowa, arriving for the start of second semester. Kelly grew up in North Carolina and was totally unprepared for a typical Midwest January, and, unsurprisingly, Mom jumped in to help.
I don’t remember the details, but I believe Kelly arrived without a true winter coat – North Carolina “winter” coats are likely Iowa “fall” coats – and Mom either bought or found a legitimate winter coat for her to us. Mom might have even picked her up at the airport – Chicago? Cedar Rapids? Moline? – and driven her to Iowa City and her dorm. Obviously she had no obligations to help, but inevitably she would.
And that was the essence of whom Mom was, willing to help someone in need whether or not it should be her problem to solve. Almost 1000 miles away from her parents, Kelly needed help – needed an adult or a parent – and Mom unhesitatingly provided as if it was her own child.
[I likely have mis-remembered something and won’t be surprised if I other siblings correct me, but I do think there’s something correct in my recollections ….. we’ll see if/when they read this!]
