Leon

Leon is my first cousin, but he has become one of my very best friends. If Leon sees anyone in need, he is there. Leon is a “workaholic.” He cannot stand to see anyone who is “lazy”.

When Charles started to get so bad, Leon would finish his “chores”, take a shower, get a thermos of coffee, and come over to chat with Charles for a few hours. Charles looked forward to his visits. If Leon got sick, Charles would worry himself to death about it. One night he told Leon that he really loved him; he said I mean I really love you. Oh, if you could have heard Charles say it, you wouldn’t forget it and Leon never has. I have loved Leon for coming to see my husband like he did, he didn’t have to do that, but he did. Then one night, I told Leon that I had found some type of sore on Charles’ back side and Leon called his wife Debbie. In a few minutes Debbie was over here with rubber gloves on and some kind of cream. Charles was very modest and didn’t want her to see his rear end, but Debbie won. From that point on, Debbie was the doctor who healed his bedsore. He loved Debbie just as much as he did Leon. The funny thing about Debbie is that I always thought she was “unfriendly” and she thought I was a “snob.” It’s funny how we think of somebody that we don’t really know. I love Debbie like I think I would love a sister. We no longer think those things about each other.

But getting back to Leon. He loves his mother and faithfully cuts her wood and keeps her wood stacked on her porch. She still wants to heat with wood at 83 years old. Leon makes sure she doesn’t run out. He helps her with her grass and any other thing that comes up.

And now, he has me, I am still afraid of the riding lawnmower. He has cut my grass, helped me with my toilets, and numerous other things.

In addition, for the past 2 or 3 years he has cut my dad’s hair.

The other week he nearly killed himself helping his friend, Benny (who is in his 80’s) bale hay. He had to work on the machinery plus help him bale the hay. Leon would come in at night barely able to walk. Yet, he was up again bright and early the next morning to help Benny all day again.

Did I mention he made a huge garden and with the vegetables they didn’t can or freeze, he was taking to friends and even cutting corn off the cob and freezing for family members?

I can’t say enough about Leon. Up until Charles got sick, I really didn’t know Leon either. I worked all the time and he was at work and then he retired and of course, worked more in the yard.

If you need a best friend, I recommend Leon!
DR, 9/18/10