04.S01 Chapter Four, Snippet One

New Prairie Woman

Susie Rosso Wolf

Chapter Four

The roses were all coming back now, some stems were nearly two and three feet long with perfect buds just waiting for the right amount of sunshine to prompt them open. I waded through the muddy mulch while setting out the first food of the season after a deluge of Southern California down pours successfully drenched both gardens as I imagined the sweet scent of Black Magic, Brandy, First Prize, Double Delight, Granada, Angel Face, Mister Lincoln, Lynn Anderson, Rio Samba, Queen Elizabeth, Stainless Steel, Valencia, Whisper, Tiffany, and many more that would soon perfume my yard and home and I eagerly anticipated a growing season of lush and lavish results. While Jo’s husband, Ralph, was tending to her gardens as well, she sat in my porch swing as I worked and we chatted for hours. I loved talking with Jo, hearing her perspective and soaking in her wisdom. Although she was unable to use gardening tools because of her arthritis, she was very knowledgeable about growing roses and often gave me great advice. Gardening was something we shared, and roses were a real passion for us both.

As the rainy season was winding down, Jo and I began our daily walking routine again. We were both glad to get outside and take a long stretch of the legs. My knee of course was perpetually swollen and painful but I used a good rubbery type of pull-up brace around it which helped to keep it from wobbling around and gave it the support I needed to be able to hobble down the street. “How is your knee, Susie?”

“It’s there,” I answered, as we passed the big house on the corner of Shoshone and Raymer. “I mean, it’s all right to take walks on it and to do some light gardening work, but I don’t trust it and it hurts all the time. It’s a constant feeling of something not right in there, as if it’s about to fall off of my leg at any moment.”

“Oh, you need a knee replacement!”

“What? Are you kidding me? I’m not ready for something like that!”

“Well, from what you’re describing you are but I’ll bet the doctor says you’re too young. They don’t like to do them unless you’re dying, like me.” Her West Virginia accent bubbled up as she said this and I noted in my head how darling Jo was.

“Oh Jo! You aren’t dying! Good God Woman, you have a long life ahead of you!”

“I don’t think so Susie.”

“Now don’t be getting morose on me, stop it!”

“I can’t help it Susie, I just feel like I’m dying.” Suddenly, I stopped walking and looked at her. I paused for a moment before I spoke.

“Jo, what’s wrong?”

“I’m just saying I don’t feel well that’s all.”

“Are you keeping something from me? When was the last time you were at the doctors?”

“Last week.”

“What did he say?”

“He didn’t say much only that I need to have a shoulder replacement.” I let out a big deep sigh then felt my eyes begin to fill with tears. How could this poor woman endure another surgery? Will they eventually have to replace every joint in her body? I didn’t know what to say to her so I just took her little crippled hand in mine and held it gently for a moment then brought it up to my lips to kiss. Poor, dear Jo, such a sweet and loving person who gives so much of herself to all of her many friends and family, who devotes her every waking moments to her husband and children and her granddaughter. Why did she have to suffer this way?