fork in the road

it was the summer of 86, my then wife and i had made a snap decision to vacation in arizona and california.
we had originally planned to drive east from vancouver to visit with my mother in southern ontario.
i hadn't seen her for 2 and 1/4 years.....although we had stayed in touch by phone, having spoken a month earlier.

my mom was just 61, having already survived 2 triple-bypass heart surgeries, while then awaiting a third.

this was yet another instance of making a crucial life-altering decision at the exact moment of meeting the....

FORK IN THE ROAD !

when we hit the interchange demanding the choice of turning south for the american border, or to continue east, it seemed the car naturally pulled to the right.
so-o-o....off we went in our refurbished '65 "three on the tree" chev biscayne.
i had picked "her" up for a song at $400....from one of my drawing students at the tech school i was employed at.
it was a welcome break from our busy and stressful lives, neither of us had been to the american southwest before and were naturally excited about the trip.
as i recall, it was an enjoyable rejuvenating adventure which eventually led us back to our lives and obligations in vancouver 3 weeks later.

almost immediately upon arriving, i phoned my good friend who had agreed to act as an emergency contact while we were away.

i'll never forget his words at the other end of the line...."you haven't heard, i'm so sorry, your mother has passed away !"

the funeral had been 10 days previous.
my family had tried everything to reach me, missing us by an hour at the contact number we had left in arizona.

my beloved mum was dead and in her grave !
that was it, no chance for final words or goodbye....or to lay eyes upon her one last time.

needless to say, ever since then, i've questioned my impulsive decision at that particular....

FORK IN THE ROAD !