A Touching Experience with Tonia

A Touching Experience with Tonia

On February 13, 2016, I unexpectedly left the Hannibal library early at about 4:30 p.m. and I went to Walmart to do my usual Saturday grocery shopping and, for the second time in Walmart, I ran into my favorite phlebotomist, Tonia, who was in a checkout line and she allowed me to stand in line with her as she waited to be checked out. I told Tonia that I had had two questions that I'd been wanting to ask her. But first, I asked Tonia, "Do you know how long you and I have known each other?" Tonia thought for a moment and replied, "I'd say a little over 6 years," which very much astonished me as that was exactly right. I had been diagnosed with leukemia in the Fall of 2009. I asked her, "Did you use an event to tie that to?" Tonia replied, "No, that was just what it seemed like." I continued, "Well, during those 6 years---and this has been very special to me---you and I have had what I call.......'moments', causing Tonia to laugh a bit embarrassingly. I added, "I'd say that you and I have had about 3 or 4 'moments'. My question is: Are there any other male patients that you have had similar 'moments' with?" Tonia thought for a few seconds and replied, "No, because......." I interjected, "Because they're older?" And Tonia agreed, "Yeah, because they're older."  I finished by telling Tonia, "Well, I was just wondering whether or not you've been cheating on me," which caused Tonia to laugh very hard. 

I then told Tonia, "My second question has to do with that folder of replies (from addressees of power and authority that I have been receiving since 1991) that I had loaned you a couple of years ago. Did you read very many of them?" Tonia replied that she had read all of them. I continued, "Well, my question is: Do you think that I wrote all of those letters to those places to get these replies back from them just for the fun of it? Or do you think that there's an underlying reason?" Tonia quickly replied, "Oh, there's an underlying reason." I continued, "You didn't hesitate, at all." Tonia replied, "That's because I know you." I teasingly asked Tonia, "Do you think that you know all that there is to know about me?" Tonia answered, "I'm sure that I don't." I finished by telling Tonia, "Well, I've thought about telling you the reason why I've been conducting my letter-writing effort." 

By this time, Tonia had finished her checkout of her purchases and then she shared with me some very shocking news: Tonia told me that she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and has been going to St. Louis for treatment. And she added that she was blind in one of her eyes. In my shock, I told her, "No!" Tonia then talked to her daughter on her cell phone who was picking her up from Walmart and then, with Valentine's Day the following day, I gave Tonia a warm hug and I wished her an early Happy Valentine's Day and we went our separate ways. 

The following Tuesday, February 16, 2016, happened to be my 6 month checkup for my leukemia at the cancer center (in which I received a good report) and I saw Tonia briefly but she was so busy that all we could do was say "Hi" to each other in passing. After my checkup, I left with a nurse a manila folder of materials that fully explain and describe what I euphemistically call "My Second Vocation in Life" and at the end of my one page handwritten letter to Tonia, I wrote: 

"Always remember that many, many people are pulling for you and see you as a very special and very sweet and very beautiful woman."