Monday, January 22, 2024
Cissy and I met in 1974 when I was new in town and took a temp assignment at Mississippi Valley Gas where she was working. She would grin and say 'Cissy with a C, not an S'. We became instant friends. Cissy and Rose and I enjoyed working together, and of course between Cissy and Rose we had some hilarious times.
When I became pregnant, Cissy was so excited; she would walk into an office at work with me announcing "she's not fat, she's pregnant!"
Cissy and Jeff and David and I enjoyed evenings together having dinner and playing Nertz. And as time went by Cissy and I would still have occasion to meet together for lunch - something Jeff was not always happy about. :D
Somehow we missed out on a good chunk of time as the families grew in different directions, and David and I moved away.
But thankfully Cissy and I reconnected via text messages and social media. Together with 2 other friends we chatted daily and shared all things of interest, like recipes, remedies or our strong, agreed upon opinions and astonishments about the state of our world - and best of all - laughs!
Stories of Cissy's gumption were told more than once like her kicking off her heels in downtown Jackson and chasing after the guy who grabbed her purse. Her following a dump truck until she could climb up to the driver's window and inform him he had cracked her windshield. Another time that she followed a school bus until she had a chance to correct the kids in the back window making obscene, disrespectful gestures.
Cissy made only light mentions in our group chats of her many surgeries, as well as the last one. And we all thought she meant "I'll be right back". Her last message to our group said "I love you guys". She was the heart and light of our conversations. I mentioned that I could always count on a response from Cissy and she said 'yes and you always can'.
She will always be a sweet light in my heart and memory. She joins the precious ones who are out of my sight for the present time, but are genuinely a part of the fabric of my heart and will be until I can run to meet them all again. Bittersweet tears run down my cheeks. But I know she is having a joyous time sharing her light and dancing with the angels and praising our Lord. Until later when we can meet again, I hug you in my heart, sweet friend, and smile when I hear in my mind that little throaty giggle. We love you too Cis!
