My sister, Shirley, was a lot older than I was, I was actually the same age as some of her kids, but we had a really special bond. She was smart and beautiful. She taught me many life lessons, she insisted on manners and proper grammar, No elbows on the table, and Never, on any circumstance do you say the word aint. She could be stern, but mostly to me, she was gentle and kind. One night, the two of us were talking in her kitchen, and she told me the story about the first moment she saw me. It was a bitterly cold December night in Oak Cliff, she had ran out of flour, so she decided to walk a few houses down to her mom and dads house to borrow a cup, as she hurried down the sidewalk, she noticed her brothers car parked out front, she thought, Is he back in town? And then she saw something moving in the back seat, Wait, is that a baby? She rushed into the house and shouted, James Alton, there is a baby in the back seat of your car! It is freezing out there, bring that baby inside right now! James sighed, Thanks a lot, Sis, I was just about to tell Mom and Dad about her, and you jumped the gun. He brought the 7 month old inside, explained the story of how the babys birth parents couldnt take care of her and basically had given her up, and then he asked his parents if they would take care of her, and they said yes. The baby was me, of course, and at that moment, I became a member of the Stogner clan and Shirleys little sister. She took me under her wing, and I idolized her. She was the perfect big sister, she took me on their family vacations; she attended my school plays; she was there for my graduation from high school and SMU; she typed my college papers; every holiday, she made her family and friends sit in the living room and watch my latest short films; she made her entire office watch me on The Joan Rivers Special; and she came to see me perform comedy many times. One night, as we walked to her car after a show, a young guy ran by and yelled out to me, Youre a funny - - ! I was worried how she would react to his salty language, but she proudly shouted back, Yes she is, and that funny so and so (she didnt say so and so) is my baby sister! And then gave me the biggest hug. She was always proud of me and always made me feel special. And for a shy, insecure, adopted kid, that meant the world. She looked out for me from the first moment she saw me, until the day she passed away. And I know she is still looking out for me even now. We always watched the Cowboys at her house, and this Sunday, when we watch the game, she will be with us. I love you, Shirley, I miss you so much!
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 19:31:19 +0000
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