Ninety Three and living Free!

Let me introduce you to a phenomenal lady, My Grandma!  This is a picture of her on her ninety-third birthday.  She was a great lady and a fine influence on the life of this man.  She and my Grandpa stayed pretty much to themselves but they were known well in the community as good people that would lend a hand when  one was needed.  My grandma was a botanical genius and didn't even know it.  Floye could plant rocks and grow rainbows!  Her roses were the envy of all that ever had the opportunity to behold them.  Even at this age she displayed her green thumb.

The entry to Ma's home

  The family had a birthday party for her in June of 05.  Those that could assembled in the small town of Magnolia to celebrate this phenomenal event with her. There were relatives from all over the place gathered there, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri, Louisiana and I'm sure from places I didn't mention, all gathered to honor this great woman.  Ma's health was real good for her years.  She was still very active and lived on her own.  Generations gathered to celebrate this great occasion. 

Just a few of those in attendance

Ma was ready to party!  She had her hair done and was dressed in her Sunday meeting clothes.  She truly enjoyed seeing all her "chaps, grandchaps, great grandchaps and great, great grandchaps".  There may have been one more generation there, I'm not much on genealogy, anyways, there was a lot of people there and a lot of kids of all ages. 

Cindy and I had not been down to visit my southern family since September of 02 when we had stopped by there on our way to see Ben while he was stationed in Florida.  We were really into our motorcycle travels and this trip was one of those motorcycle trips.  We enjoyed traveling on the bike and taking the back roads to southern Mississippi seemed like the thing to do. 

With the numerous kids that were there it was inevitable that motorcycle rides would be in store for the ones old enough to ride.  Each took their turn on the Goldwing with me and each had a blast.  For most, it was the first time they had ever been on a motorcycle.

Now Ma had never been a fan of motorcycles, never wanted to be near one and most definitely never wanted to ride one!  I gave rides to the "chaps" and Ma watched.  Little did I know that in a few short minutes the entire family would be treated to the surprise of a lifetime.  One of my aunts came to me and said Ma wanted to go for a ride.  I thought I was being kidded, but the truth was she wanted to go for a ride.  Actually it started out that Ma had told one of my aunts that she wanted her picture made next to that "pretty" motorcycle.  My aunt, jokingly I'm sure, told her the only way she was getting a picture was if she got on the motorcycle.  My aunt said she didn't even hesitate and agreed immediately. 

With the aide of grandsons and great grandsons we soon had Ma seated comfortably on the back of that wing!  Now when Ma had her hair done, rule one was don't muss it up.  Ma was always attentive to her looks when she was out in public.  In the beginning I thought that this would be just a brief "ride" a few feet then she would have her picture and want to get off, after all, a real ride would muss her hair in the grandest way.  Well, ma said to me "Let's go for a ride."  I proceeded to go to the end of the driveway and turn around.  To my total surprise she said "no, I want to go for a real ride!"  Who was I to deny her this feeling of motorcycling freedom?  We took off for a real ride!  I was busy watching the road and making sure to ride safely but a glance in my mirrors showed me a woman having a grand time.  We headed down the highway with her waving her arms in the air and smiling, a smile that only someone that has ridden a motorcycle could display, one of those ear to ear, bug catching smiles!

Ready to go!

GONE!

The picture doesn't do justice to the smile on her face as we took off for her once in a lifetime ride.  I truly believe that she felt at ease and had the realization that this was being free, this was the reason people rode motorcycles, this was FUN!  It did not bother her that her hair had become mussed, the air and the road overpowered the thoughts of her hair and she just relaxed and had a good time!


  We went down the road for a few miles then turned and headed back to the festivities.  I could see that smile in my mirrors, a smile that will be in my memories for the duration of my life.  I knew motorcycling was fun, I knew the freedom the open air offered, I knew the smile that came upon my face every time I got on my bike, and now I knew that Ma had shared a bit of that feeling with me!

This is the only time I ever rode my bike without a helmet.  What I thought was going to be just a photo opportunity for my grandmother turned into a ride.  I rode very safely and did not take any chances with such a precious cargo.  I figured I would get my "explanation " in before someone got on the helmet bandwagon. 

The celebration went well into the day.  Ma talked about her ride and everyone had a great time. 

Being small town Mississippi, Ma got her picture in the local paper and had earned the nick-name "motorcycle Ma-Ma" amongst those that knew her and those that didn't.  She was recognized and people would address her as motorcycle Ma-Ma.  It was an event that she would remember the rest of her long life.

One of my aunts was telling me that same fall, Ma went to the hospital with a stroke.  She was not responding well to the treatments and things did not look well.  One of the nurses remembered the photo in the newspaper and brought it to put in her room.  The staff all started calling her motorcycle Ma-Ma and talking to her about that ride.  Maybe the ride did, maybe it didn't have an effect, but Ma got better and got out of the hospital.  Ma lived to see almost three more birthdays. 

In June of 06 I gave Ma a die cast replica of my Goldwing for her birthday.  Ma was a collector of nick-nacks, salt and pepper shakers, figurines, mostly delicate stuff.  Ma put that motorcycle right in the middle of her delicate stuff, there it sat as a reminder to her of that ride until the day she passed to be with Jesus.