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December 2003
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I was talking to my friend Brenda on the phone. We were exchanging chemo stories and I was flipping through the channels on the TV. " I just don't know." I told her stopping on a familiar show on VH1 just as John Taylor of Duran Duran entered to take Vanessa Williams off on a Christmas Carol adventure. "I don't think I'll put up a tree this year," I sighed "I'm so tired." On the TV, John Taylor was moving about with lightening speed playing the Ghost of Christmas Past. "I'm such a Scrooge" I told her apathetically. I had just finished my second round of chemo. It was hard and I knew I had at least ten more to go and maybe more. In the past few weeks, I had come to a better acceptance of my disease but somedays were harder than others. I woke the next morning to the insistent ring of the doorbell. I looked out the window and saw that the Postman's truck was parked out front. I threw on a robe and went downstairs, "Hi Mike" I said opening the door "Are you sick?" He asked wary "Oh no nothing catching- just recovering from chemo" I told him matter of factly "Well, maybe this will cheer you up" He said holding out a long cylinder tube "I'm not expecting anything" I smiled. He smiled back "Those are always the best ones" I signed for the tube and went inside. I looked at the mysterious package it was from the UK and was stamped with Royal Mail. My hands trembled a bit as I opened it- I couldn't imagine what it was. I saw that it was a poster as I looked down into the depths. I pulled it out and rolled it onto the kitchen table. I brought a trembling hand to my mouth in shocked amazement. Before me on my kitchen table was a poster of Duran Duran signed by all five original members. I picked up the phone and called Kimmie. The first thing I did was scream like I was 15 again then I asked her how she had done it. Kimmie told me that she had originally sent an email to the Duran Duran management asking them for a "Get Well" message. She was told that they did not do that sort of thing. This made Kimmie very unhappy and she posted her unhappiness on the Duran Duran.com message board. Kimmie told me later "I couldn't do anything to make you better but I wanted to do something to make you happy." There are a lot of people who are a part of the message board. My friend, Shonda, got involved trying to help Kimmie as well. One of the members, a wonderful spirit named, Reine, suggested that if they all donated a dollar they could buy me one of the autographed limited edition posters. They opened a Pay Pal account put my picture and my story on the site. People who I have never met or will never know gave money so that I could have the signed poster. People who could not give money sent well wishes and asked if they could send me cards. In 1984 ,I met a group of girls and we became friends because we loved Duran Duran. That friendship has lasted almost two decades. Although, I love the music- it is more than the music- it is the people who care for other people. People who were willing to help buy a poster for a woman they had never met just to make her happy. Yes, Julie there is a Santa Claus and he is alive and well and living in the hearts of the Duranies who have made my life happier ,not so much because of the poster, but because they cared. I am so blessed to have people like Kimmie, Shonda and Reine in my life not unlike the three ghosts who visited Scrooge to remind him that the world is a redeemable beautiful place simply because of the wonderful spirits of humanity that, like these women and all the others on the board, worked to make this happen for me. I can honestly say that given the chance I would not change my life for anyone else's in the world because I know few people have friends like I do. And to the members of DuranDuran.com thank you for reminding me that hope endures and that the love of friends and strangers alike can be greater than anything we can imagine. Merry Christmas! |
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