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History:
It was a while ago that I got this plate for a light switch from a friend of mine. I had almost forgotten who had given it to me even. Laurie was an administrative assistant for the group I worked in. She had been with the company for a while, longer than I have in fact. Laurie was the kind of person who was friendly to everyone and would not judge you. I really like that; it takes a certain kind of mind to look past your biases.Once she left the group, we continued to keep in touch. She would throw these incredibly fun theme parties. Ranging from the Jello Shot parties to Elvis's birthday parties to Friday the 13th Pizza parties. Every once in a while, we would schedule lunch together and catch up on things. What we were working on… what we were up to… you know, how things are. At the time when I was thinking about getting a tattoo, she toyed with the idea of joining me. We looked at a number of tattoo parlors together. I did end up getting one, though she did not.
One day she gives me this Mickey Mouse plate for a lightswitch, for no particular occasion. This seemed very odd to me at the time, since we had never exchanged gifts. She said that when she saw it, it reminded her of me… which, I may add, is an alarming trend with Mickey Mouse stuff and me in general. Since it reminded her of me, she just picked it up for me.
For months, I didn't do anything with it. It sat on my counter in the kitchen. Eventually, it made it to the light switch near my front door, which is the light switch I always check as I'm leaving my condo. It controls the lights in the hallway. Each day, I turn off the lights to make sure that the remaining lights have been extinguished and turn it back on to make sure that I have some light left for Magic to roam around. I do this almost absent-mindedly; it is habitual.
It was about a year ago when Laurie was diagnosed with lymphoma. It had been a couple of months before that since the last time I had lunch with her, which was typically at a seedy bar appropriately called The Mustard Seed Too. She had been suffering from some strange symptoms then, and had been missing work for some time. Unfortunately, the doctors weren't able to diagnose it properly any earlier, and the disease had taken part of its course.
For over a year she fought, which was just like her… she lived life fuller than most people I know, and she wasn't going to submit without a fight. In the end, the cancer turned out too strong and her too weak. She passed away on May 23, 2000.
Isn't it ironic how the plate says, "Don't Forget!"
I won't kid you. Most days I still wander out into the spendid Seattle weather [inser sarcasm here…] without thinking much about the lights, and the rest of it all… still there's the occasional day when it all strikes me again. I can't help but to think about her outlook and think of the similarities to light and brightness, and maybe having this lightswitch is a symbolic way to empower us and our outlook on life. Still, some days I can't help but to turn off the lights and for that moment think of her death.
I'm sure there'll be the people who will ask on occasion why I have a Mickey Mouse lightswitch. I'll smile a sad smile and will tell them of an amazing young woman who lived life more vibrantly in her short time than many of us live in our lifetime. It will serve as a reminder of the fragility of life.
As for not forgetting… Don't worry, Laurie. I'll never forget.
Back to Material Possessions.
June 13, 2000