Tom Shields
loosely based on his life

I was a fighter.
The day I was born, that's what the nurse said as she handed me to my mother.
I was unruly as a child, growing up in Scotland,
Swiping candy from the corner store when no one was watching.

As I got older, I fell in love.
Her name was Ellen, and she was perfect.
We had two sons together.
But she was a fighter, too,
And I had to leave her after fifteen years.

I moved to Welland, Ontario to start over.
There I met Nancy.
She was like me, divorced with sons.
We fell in love, and were married.
I remember I was so excited the day of the ceremony,
I left the house forgetting my dress pants, delaying everything.
The priest had to make the announcement on why there was a delay,
And I remember the look of horror on his face when I told him what he had to tell the congregation!

I felt like I was born that day,
Everything seemed so perfect,
Life began to make sense again.

Nancy had a large family, with many grandchildren.
My, how I loved those kids!
I remember once when little Kimmy's hamster died,
I took her to get a new one,
And we named him Marshmallow.
I loved to hear their giggles when I spoke his name in my Scottish accent:
"Marsha-mallow"

A few years went by,
And Nancy and I began to grow older.
We grew apart.
I found she was a fighter, too,
Like Ellen,
Like me.
How I regret that fighting.
Soon after it began, she left me.

I went to live with my son,
Back home,
In Scotland.
Then I got sick.
Cancer, they said.
I fought it, but slowly I realized
I was slipping into the cold pool of eternal rest.
My final battle has been lost.

Katie George