Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

I made it with joy. Shredded carrots, wrinkly raisins, knobby walnuts.
and sugar, which I don’t eat a lot of, and eggs, which I don’t eat at all,
flour and vanilla and applesauce. It smelled wonderful baking, and with anticipation
I drew it from the oven to share with two of my three favorite men on my birthday.

Two phones calls that morning; death had come knocking, and my day had turned.
From one, I could not share it as we had planned, they were burying their
beloved cat; from the other, Judy had drawn her last breath – late last
night…. carrot cake a favorite of hers and her son’s I knew.

Death trumped life today, and I gladly transferred the sweet and earthy
cake from my car to theirs, hoping it would say the words I could not say.
Please take it. For Judy’s sake. I love you, I loved her…
Today is not the day to celebrate; but a day to console, and death and life just don’t mix.