Time Passes Too Quickly

I found out today that a former coworker died yesterday. She was a dear lady and quite the spitfire. She was 95.

Her voice was distinctive and gravelly. She was a heavy smoker from age 14 until her late 80s/early 90s, and then she decided to quit cold turkey. Just like that. And as far as I know she didn't pick up a cigarette again. She drove (and not just locally!) well into her 80s until one day she decided she didn't want to travel the highway anymore and simply handed in her license to the RMV. She used to tell me stories how she and her brother would skip school as kids, go down to the local train station, hop the freight train and ride into Maine for a bit before hopping another train home again. Supposedly she was never caught by the truancy officer. ;) She was very contemporary in her thinking, too. I never heard any comments about "kids these days" coming from her. She carried on a conversation just as easily with a teen as she did someone her own age.

Independent. Friendly. Funny. Smart. She was a staple for many years at the local restaurants in the morning. Everyone knew her, and everyone liked her. It was hard not to.

RIP, Doris.