Zaidy

Hi everyone, so i just wanted to write a bit about zaidy. the last time i saw zaidy was right after he had had his foot amputated. it was during the SARS scare, when in that hospital there were a bunch of orientals going in and out wearing surgical masks.

i went to see him and to share the news that i was expecting (with Leiba). i remember just sitting near his bed and chatting with him for a while. he said to me "they cut off my foot" i just looked at him, what could i say, i could not imagine living without a foot. anyways finally i said to him, i am expecting, i am pregnant. his whole face lit up with a slow smile, his mouth opening really wide and he said "rrreally?!" in his strong accent. and i said yup!

as soon as i said goodbye and left his room, i burst into tears. i could not stop crying for like at least an hour, until we got home to crown heights (we were in the process of moving to CT). i was just feeling how sad it all was, and to see zaidy that way was really depressing and upsetting!!! Levi kept telling me to calm down already, yet i could not be consoled the tears just kept on coming.

i am sharing this specific memory, because today it struck me that the time similarities between me having a baby then and now are almost exactly the same. (as i was also expecting when zaidy passed away and now am due almost the same date as then). and i am remembering how happy he looked and how pleased he was to hear that he was going to be a great grandfather yet again, although sadly he never got to meet Leiba. i hopefully brought him a little joy that day during a most assuredly depressing time for him.