A world-class hug

Right after Mr. Gadget and I were married,

in 1981,

we moved to south Texas.

Very soon afterward,

I learned I was pregnant with Tech Guy.

I became friendly with my next door neighbor

who was about to become a new mom herself.

After her son was born

we began walking around the neighborhood

for exercise.

When the weather became hot

and humid, and the mosquitoes swarmed,

we walked in the mall.

We became good buddies.

She was like my mentor and answered all

my questions about the mysteries of childbirth.

"Well, yeah," she'd say in her Texas drawl,

"It'll hurt a little, but it's not so bad."

She was a very good friend.

And a very good liar.

After Tech Guy was born, we became known

in the neighborhood as

the two moms pushing strollers.

After a year or so

Mr. Gadget got a job transfer and

we moved to Connecticut.

We stayed in touch by mail and phone,

but eventually we found ourselves

communicating only once a year

at Christmas.

It was in our recent Christmas letter

that I gave her the news about Tech Guy.

A few weeks later a big box

arrived in the mail--

all the way from Texas.

Inside was this beautiful hand-crocheted

afghan.

In the accompanying note,

in her familiar handwriting,

she wrote of her sadness at our loss

and added,

"Wrap yourself up in this and consider

it a hug from me."