LIFE WITH MOLLY

A short story of Faith, Fate and Coincidence
“A bizarre accident occurred on the highway early this morning

claiming the life of three people, one of whom is yet to be identified.

A large “Hummer” crossed the median at high speed and plowed

into the smaller vehicle, killing all the occupants.

The driver of the Hummer, who was returning from an

all night “stag” celebrating his wedding due to be held today,

was unharmed. His breathalyzer test was very strongly positive.”

Violet sat up when she heard those words spoken by the radio announcer who was reporting a newsflash that had just been received. Something in her told her that this was not good and for some strange reason she thought of Molly. She listened carefully, but no more information was forthcoming.

That night as she sat down to have dinner with her husband, the phone rang. It was Virginia enquiring about her mother who had not arrived home yet, and none of her friends or family knew anything. Violet, shuddering with anticipation, blurted out “Have you called the police? Have you checked with the hospital? For some strange reason, ever since hearing the announcement she could not shift the thought that Molly was involved. She was not surprised when Virginia called early next morning confirming that Molly was indeed involved in the accident and had died before any help could arrive. She also added that the only way she could have identified her mother was by the silver cross she was wearing. This was the cross that was given to Molly last Xmas with love and appreciation for her dedicated care to his wife, who suffered from Advanced Alzheimer’s, by Violet’s father.

For more than five years Molly had been the live-in caregiver who would come to the house early Monday morning and leave early Saturday morning. A gentle, caring person in her late 50’s, she was a devotedly religious person who loved people and was dedicated to her role of caring for the weak and helpless. She endeared herself so deeply to the family that she became part of the family and was loved by all, as indeed, she loved them. Violet was particularly close to her, and they shared a bond as close as sisters. They would spend many hours sharing and praying together, as they jointly took care of the needs of the old people. They were sisters in spirit.

As she recalled the events of the hours before Molly’s death, Violet became increasingly overwhelmed with a sense of awe at the power of Fate in life, and wondered whether life is truly predestined and beyond our control. The night before, after dinner was completed and the old people settled, Molly informed Violet that she planned to leave much earlier than usual as she was getting a lift with some friends. She planned to leave at 6:00am. Violet could not understand why she felt compelled to caution her but recalled saying: “Are you sure that is a good idea. Why do you want to leave that early?”

The next morning Molly got up at the crack of dawn and was ready to leave as early as 5:00am. She called Violet who would normally come over to pay her and relieve her. However Violet was unable to get over because of a flare up of her ankle sprain and asked her to wait a little longer to allow the “Advil” she took to start working. Molly called back to inform her that her friends were insisting on leaving early and as a result she was committed to leave on time. Violet recalled her last words to Molly were, “Go with God, may he take care of you on your journey home!”

Molly left home at 5:45am and walked to the corner to wait for her friends. When she got there, she realized that she had left her cross at home and quickly retuned to retrieve it. On arriving home, she encountered the old man who was in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee that Molly had prepared and left for him. After she explained why she had returned, he stood up, held her hand firmly and said with a deliberate, serious tone, “Molly please stay back for a while. In our culture it is a bad omen to begin a journey and to return before it is completed. I want you to stay!”

She chuckled and replied as she snapped the cross around her neck, “Grandpa I am protected with this cross. Nothing could happen to me!” She then quickly exited to meet her friends.

The police reported that the car was traveling south at normal speed in light traffic when the Hummer which was traveling north at very high speed suddenly swerved to the left, missed a light pole and crashed directly into the car. It was smashed beyond recognition and the occupants killed instantaneously.

The cross was found in Molly’s right hand as she apparently grasped it in her final moment.

Like Violet, we are all left to wonder the meanings of Fate and Faith. Many will be content to blame these events as merely coincidence that occur every day to every body. As my friend Lawrence will often reply in these situations, “No Big Thing!”

I prefer to think of these events as occurring beyond our control and as such beyond our human comprehension. In this context I am reminded of a statement made by a contributor on the “This I Believe” Series on National Public Radio which stated:

“We, as humans, can do nothing but live in the present.
We cannot see what is to come in the future.
We can only guess and attempt to make the right choices.”