MY CONGRESS STORY: LISA, CONGRESS, THE SUPREME COURT & THE PRESIDENT

Lisa and John Lennon:

"Just give me some truth now, all I want is the truth..."

Hi again everbody, its yoo know whoo! Me! Lisa!!! A coupla weeks ago I sent an email to President Obama telling him what I think the Congress, the Supreme Court and he could do to help things go a lot better. THEN guess what??? I got a call from the White House! Yup! I sure did. Somebody at some office they call the Department of New Media called me and said Barack Obama himself was gonna call me the next day at 1:00 in the afternoon.

That day I got all kinds of calls from newspaper reporters and TV people and stuff, and the TV people wanted to come and take my picture and shoot videos while I was gonna be talking to the President. So the next day there were tons of trucks with antennas and stuff outside and reporters and cameras inside and there was barely room for me, my phone, Mommy and Daddy and Uncle UL. I actually got a little nervous to tellya the truth. Teehehe. Then at exactly 1:00, boom! The phone rang.

I picked it up, and this is what we said:


Barack: Hello, is this Lisa?


Me: Yes? Is this President Obama?


Barack: Yes it’s me. How are you today Lisa?


Me: I’m good. How are Malia and Sasha?


Barack: They’re fine, thanks for asking.


Me: And how’s Michelle?

Barack: She’s fine too. So nice of you to ask.


Me: Thank you. I think you’re the coolest President there ever was, by the way.


Barack: Well thanks Lisa, that’s nice of you to say, too. I have a favor to ask you.


Me: REALLY? ME? A favor? What is it?


Barack: Well, I really liked the email you sent me. I think you raised a lot of good issues and made some strong arguments. I have to give a speech before Congress next week. The State of the Union Address, the President has to give it to Congress every year.


Me: I know.


Barack: Well, I was wondering if you’d present your comments at my State of the Union speech before I give my speech.


Me: Well, I could… But can I say a little bit more than I said in the email? I have a few other things on my mind too.


Barack: Well, sure Lisa. Just make sure that we have a copy of the topics you plan to talk about, and make sure you include everything you said in your great letter. OK?


Me: DEAL! Oh boy. This is gonna be fun! Thank you Mr. President!


Barack: Thank YOU Lisa! I’m going to have some of my staff people get on the phone and talk to your parents and make arrangements to have dinner with you here at the White House on Sunday, if you’re available.


Me: Depends. What’s for dinner?


Barack: What do you like?

Me: Twin 2 ½ pound steamed lobsters, baked potatoes with chives and sour cream and corn on the cob.


Barack: What a coincidence, that’s what we’re having for dinner at the White House on Sunday.


Me: Good, then I’ll seeya for dinner. Byeeee.


Barack: Bye, Lisa.



So I started right to work on a speech I was gonna give before Congress in prime time on TV in front of everbody in the country. Wow. Wow! We flew to Washington and got to stay at a fancy hotel with a swimming pool and everthing, and Uncle UL even got some free towels, soap and salt and pepper shakers from the hotel and the restaurant. Uncle UL was teasing every waitress in town. He sure does wink a lot more when he’s out of town. LOL, Uncle UL. And sure enuff, when we got to the White House on Sunday they WERE having twin 2 ½ pound lobsters for dinner. They even had choklit cake for dessert. AND strawberry milk shakes. Not bad.


All week all these important hot-shot TV reporters and news people wanted to interview me. I told them whatever I felt like and made them laugh a lot. I tried to be as cute as possible because Uncle UL said that would make people want to hear me that would be taking advantage of my natural assets to advance my ‘agender.’ And I sure do have an agender. That’s for sure.


So the big night finally came, Tuesday night. Barack and I were waiting outside these big doors at the Capitol with a bunch of Secret Service guys and a bunch of other guys in suits, when the doors swung open and somebody boomed over the loudspeaker: “Mr. Speaker, The President of the United States.” And everbody applauded, and gave us a standing ovation. Then they did that all over a second time, I guess because it was so much fun the first time. :D

Barack, me and a bunch of those guys in suits walked up an aisle shaking hands with Congress people and stuff until we got to the front where the stage was. Vice President Biden and that guy who looks orange all the time, Boehner, were up there. Joe looked like he was having the time of his life. Boehner looked worried and all paranoid.

War, good God y'all, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Just an omen for the undertaker.

Bruce Springsteen tells it like it is.

When everbody finally quieted down and sat down, Barack told them this:


I want to begin this State of the Union Address by allowing a very bright young woman to tell us how she’d like the state of the union to be a few years from now. So it’s my pleasure to introduce: LISA!!!


And everbody jumped up on their feet again and started hooting and hollering and applauding me. Wow. Wow! When they sat down I started to talk.


Me: Hi everbody. I’m Lisa. I wrote Barack to tell him what I think about what you people could do to make things a lot better in the world, not just this country. He liked what I wrote and if you like what I wrote and what I say, then just do it, don’t just applaud. I’ll say the same thing to Barack.

OK. Here’s what I think. Numero Uno. Treat each other a lot nicer. We’re all brothers and sisters. We’re one family and we need to not just be civil to each other, we should be loving each other even when we disagree. You people in politics have gotten stupid about this. You people up front, wearing the robes. That means you John Roberts and “Justice Antonin Scalia!” How dare you be rude to Barack when he’s giving speeches in here. In kiddie garten they teach better manners than you people have! Stop being mean! That’s numero uno.


Numero Dos. Nuclear weapons stink. And we have more and better ones than anyone else in the world. We have more killing machines than any other group of people in the history of the world. Since World War II we’ve been fighting wars all over the world almost non-stop. And we don’t even have any other countries trying to attack us! Russia and China also have nukes that can reach other continents, but they have borders with tons of other countries and we only have borders with two tinier countries, Mexico and Canada. We spend oodles of trillions on killing and almost nothing on feeding people or giving them clothes if they need it, or helping the disabled who can’t take care of themselves too well.

We have the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean between us and any other country that could seriously threaten us. Gimme a break. Stop that nonsense.

Numero Tres. What about all the smoke we keep pouring into the thin layer of gas around this planet. What am I gonna breathe 40 years from now, and what are my kids gonna breathe 80 years from now? Huh? Huh? Everbody and their brother in this country has a car, a refrigerator, a microwave, a washer and dryer, a heater, an air conditioner, a computer, and more. Now, because we made wanting THINGS so popular, everbody on earth wants things that ya gotta burn things to run. Like China and India now all want cars and refrigerators and stuff. And now THEY are all spewing out tons of smoke now too. Global warming and climate change IS real. Ya just can’t spit out that much smoke into the atmosphere for this long and not kill it. It’s beyond bad and we hafta stop it. That leads me to


Numero Quatro: What makes you think that we can have the economy expanding constantly, year after year, decade after decade, and century after century? And what makes you think that’s even a good idea? If everbody was working full time all the time there’d already be no oxygen left and we’d all be dead by now. Maybe EVERYBODY shouldn’t necessarily have a job? Maybe what is needed is a more equal distribution of the work that needs to be done instead. Didja ever think of that? Hmm? Didja? Equality in job opportunities, equal and fair pay and benefits, and planning for periods of no growth or even negative growth in the economy rather than constantly demanding more, more more! OMG. Greedy. The top 1% of rich people now have more money than the bottom 50%! That’s terrible! Spreading what we have more equally is more important than trying to always just make more stuff all the time. And speaking of equality, that brings me to

I ain't no Senator's son... It ain't me, it ain't me I ain't no fortunate one...

CCR

Numero Cinco: Justice! What ever happened to that??? Rich people get more justice than poor people, it’s that simple. Why should a rich person be able to post bond or bail and a poor person hafta stay in jail. And no poor person can afford to go to a trial so they have to plea bargain. And I know what our prisons are like. I’m young, but you can’t fool me. People get raped, stabbed, and tortured in prison. It’s a nightmare in there. One of the worst and most inhumane systems ever! AND once people go in they get so mad and go crazy so that when they get out they just commit worse crimes and it’s a revolving door. Meanwhile rich lawyers like most of you in this room make a mint off the whole process. We need to tear down the prisons and start from scratch. The court system needs to be changed completely so that rich and poor people are treated equally.

Numero Seis is making health care for me, for my Mommy and Daddy and for the kids I have someday a right and not a privilege. And NO PROFIT MOTIVE for medicine. I don’t want a doctor to be working on my Daddy when he’s really sick and making a profit off of treating him. I don’t mind people making a profit for cleaning furniture and carpets or for making lamps. But I don’t like profits being made by medical providers, prisons, schools, and weapons builders. And speaking of weapons,

Numero Siete is guns. Let’s outlaw handguns, more people are murdered by handguns than any other weapon and they serve no other purpose than to kill people. The manufacture, sale and possession of handguns should be a crime.


Numero Ocho is understanding that we have lots of problems in this country. We have crime, pornography, sex offenses out of control, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, political corruption, questionable elections and politicians and more. And yet we imagine that we have the right to send armed kids in uniform overseas to fight people in their own countries because we’re better than they are. Guess what? We’re not. I think that people who follow nuts like Daffy Muammar Qadaffy, or Saddam Hussein, or Hosni Mubarak, or Adolf Hitler—I think a lot of them actually think that they are also doing a good thing and don’t understand how whacky their government is. Just look at ours. Our government is definitely crazy most of the time and we’ve fought more wars and killed more people since WW II than any other country on earth. And I think our military people are well-motivated, but they are just being fooled by the idea that we’re better than the others. Just like the people around the other governments fight for their governments. EXCEPT that the people in the other countries are fighting on their OWN territory, we’ve been occupying and fighting on OTHER people’s territories. WRONG! So


Numero Nueve is recognizing that Dick Nixon, Dick Cheney, Spiro Agnew, Dubya Bush, John Roberts. Clarence Thomas, that Tanman sitting behind me, and all the nuts here in Washington are imperfect and human and that we need to stop trying to export their brand of ‘exceptionalism’ overseas. And

Numero Diez is final passage of the Equal Rights Amendment to the constitution so that women have the same rights as men.


So I want ten simple things. Don’t forget them. And don’t say later. It really comes down to this.

JUSTICE! PEACE! EQUALITY! NOT LATER! NOW! NOT TOMORROW TODAY!


JUSTICE! PEACE! EQUALITY! HOW ‘BOUT NOW!


JUSTICE!


PEACE!


EQUALITY!


HOW ‘BOUT NOW!


HOW ‘BOUT NOW!


I CAN’T WAIT!


JUSTICE!


PEACE!


EQUALITY!


HOW ‘BOUT NOW?


And everbody got on their feet (well, half of everbody), applauded and shouted JUSTICE, PEACE, EQUALITY! HOW ‘BOUT NOW!


Mommy, Daddy and Uncle UL got onstage with me, and we hugged and hugged and hugged.


Then Barack gave a speech too.


The end.


For now.

barackobama.com

This story was originally published on October 24, 2011




MY CEO STORY: LISA OCCUPIES WALL STREET

Uncle UL sez Republicans are now just really Republithieves, just like Corporate CEO's are!

Teehehehe.

George Harrison Was A Beatle. This wuz his last concert before he died. :( He died from cigarettes.

  He Sang

"Isn't it a pity,

Isn't it a shame,

how we take each other's lives,  forgetting to

give back"

Yes, George, It is. :(

Hi again everybody. It’s me again, Lisa! Guess what? I got to talk to another adult person who thinks that he’s real important. More important than anybody else. He calls himself a C.E.O. AND Chairman of the Board, but he’s actually just a guy in charge of this big department store company. He gives himself a fancy title and lots of money too! Lol! He gives himself 1000 times more money than he gives his nice cashiers and stock people and stuff. He also gets good things like vacation time where he goes places and pays himself while he’s not working, sick time, holidays off with pay, medical insurance in case he does get sick, life insurance in case he dies and extra money if he doesn’t for when he retires. Wow! He treats himself good! Not the people who work for him, except his pals in suits and ties who work in the same fancy offices with him! The average people who work for him only get to work part time now, and get tiny amounts of money for real hard work and none of the stuff he gives himself extra! OMG, how greedy he is. He musta flunked sharing in Kiddiegarten!

Uncle Unabashed took me to see him at his “Corporate Office” and boy was it fancy. Uncle UL told him I had to interview a civic leader for a school project and got him to agree (teehehehe). His office had living room couches and chairs, fancy coffee tables, a huge solid dark wood desk, all pretty and stuff, and lots of fancy framed stuff on the walls. It was like a museum. Fancy Schmancy! He even had a refrigerator! We sat at a coffee table and I put my feet up on the table (I thought it would annoy him, teehehehe) and got out my notebook and pen and asked him a bunch ‘o questions. This is what I asked him and what he said. He introduced himself as Mr. Countinghouse.




Bill: Hi Lisa, nice to see you. I’m Mr. Countinghouse, how do you do?


Me: Hi, I’m OK, how are you?


Bill: I’m doing fine thanks, I understand from your Uncle that you want to ask me some questions for a project at school, is that so?


Me: Of course it is, My uncle never lies. What’s your first name?


Bill: Why Lisa, it’s Bill, and I’m sorry I didn’t mean to imply that UL wouldn’t tell you the truth.

Me: Well you certainly DID Bill! Excuuuuuuse me! My first question is, how much money do you make each year?


Bill: Well, Lisa, that’s confidential. It’s something adults don’t discuss openly, its really a personal matter.

Me: Really? I can ask Mommy and Daddy and they tell me, Uncle UL tells me, how come you won’t? Are you ashamed of how little you make or sumthin?


Bill: They’re your family, Lisa, families share more information than strangers.


Me: Uncle UL looked it up for me, its public information he said, and he said you made more than $200 million last year ALONE! That’s a lot! Phew!


Bill: Lisa, I work hard and have lots of responsibilities and bring in lots of revenue to Wall-Mat Discount Department Stores, so I certainly earn my salary. I work long hours and had lots of training and years of experience.


Me: I heard you inherited all the stores, is that true? That your father set up the business, and that when he died you took over his jobs [real quick] as, what is it you call yourself?


Bill: I am the Wall-Mat Chief Executive Officer and the Chairman of the Board of Wall-Mat. They call me the CEO for short.

Bill Countinghouse, CEO, kinda looked like all these guys if ya squeezed 'em all together into one!

Teehehehe!

Me: So you’re in charge, BILL?


Bill: The buck stops here, Lisa.


Me: It sure does! Teehehehe. Who decides what your salary is?


Bill: Well, um… er… its…actually… a committee comprised of…


Me: It’s YOU! Isn’t it?


Bill: No, Lisa, I was about to say that it’s a committee comprised of members of our executive team who set salaries and benefits for top executives and I sign a contract with Wall-Mat based on their decision.


Me: Who names the committee?


Bill: Well, um…er..its…actually I do , Lisa with the advice of my Vice Presidents.

Which Buck areya talking about Mr. Bill???

Hmmm?

Me: Then let me get this straight. I askedya who sets your salary. You said it’s a committee. I said it’s actually you. And then you finally admit that YOU name the committee! So it IS you who decides how much you make!


Bill: It’s…


Me: Time to change the subject. Your stuff that you sell in your store mostly stinks. You sell furniture made out of sawdust-wood that Mommy and Daddy have to put together themselves (you should hear them cuss when they’re doing that-lol), you sell all cheap stuff that you have made by kids younger than me in China who have to work 100 hours a week in sweaty shops for 50 cents an hour and forced to by Communists who run the country, and your company and you are rolling in dough? Your company and you make a ton of money at everyone else’s expense. True?


Bill: We sell quality merchandise at discount prices.


Me: BALONEY! HA HA HA! You sell junk at high prices! What about your cashiers and stock people and all the people who do the real work for Wall-Mat? Hmmm? How come they’re all part-time now, and no benefits and making peanuts an hour? Huh? How come? Huh?


Bill: We’re proud of our associates and treat them as they most certainly deserve. They work hard to service our customers.

Me: You treat them worse than worms, BILL! Grrrr. You treat your people terrible! Horrible! Greedy! You won’t let them group up and negotiate for decent conditions and salary, cuz you’re so greedy! And what about you? How much do you pay outa your $200 million a year in taxes?


Bill: I pay what’s required by law.


Me: And does the law allow you to pay a lower tax rate than your cashiers who make a thousand times less?

Bill: Well, Lisa, let me ask my accountant and get back to you.


Me: Uncle UL says you pay LESS of a tax rate than everybody else who works for you. He also says that you donate to politishuns who vote on those tax rates and keep you rolling in the dough. And that you don’t pay even close to your fair share! UNCLE UL, GET OUT OF BILL’S FILES, HE MIGHT HAVE A CAMERA IN HERE, BE CAREFUL! Lol.

Uncle UL just couldn't resist trying to find out more while Mr. Big Shot CEO was busy with me.

Teehehehe Uncle UL!

Smooth!

Bill: Yeah, listen UL, sit down and keep your hands and your eyes on this conversation.


Me: DON’T YOU DARE TALK TO UNCLE UL THAT WAY!


Bill: Sorry Lisa.


Me: You sure are sorry, Bill. A sorry excuse for a man! LOLOLOL! You’re greedy and mean. Whadya think about those people outside your office occupying Wall Street these days?


Bill: They are misguided, Lisa and don’t understand that entrepreneurship creates capital and capital creates employment.


Me: REALLY, BILL! Come on Uncle UL, I’m sick and tired of this guy. His stupidness causes people to want things they don’t need, causes pollution, global warming, and wars; and he’s too greedy and scummy to talk to anymore. By the way, that tie and suit shore looks mighty funny BILL, MR COUNTINGHOUSE CEO CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD!!!


Bill: Well, Lisa, this has been interesting.

Me: I bet it has been Mr. Greedy. C’mon Uncle UL, grab the tent, I got the sleeping bags, let’s head out and occupy the streets!

John Lennon wuz another Beatle who died, but he was murdered by a handgun. :( He sang:

"Power to the people, power to the people right on.

ya say ya wanna revolution, it can only mean

GETTING INTO THE STREETS

and singing

Power To The People!"

*****************************************


And me and Uncle UL Spent the Weekend With Everbody


Else Having Fun Occupying Wall Street.


And once we got outside,


Before we pitched our tent,


Me and Uncle UL,

We hugged, and hugged and hugged!


And then we hugged some more.


<3 :)


The end.


For now!


Oh yeah…


And God, please take away this man’s greed,


And help everbody he hurts to be better ifya think that’s a good idear.


Luvya, God!


AMEN!

And ifya don't wanna see this greedy guy go untaxed, try going here:

barackobama.com

MY LOVE STORY/LISA'S LOVE STORY

Carole King & Friends

You've Got A Friend

<3

Hi everbody, it’s me again, Lisa! I had to start going to see a nice lady today, she’s my counselor. Her name is Linda, she’s really pretty and she’s a Social Worker too! She’s not just pretty, she’s real nice. I went to see her today for the first time. This here is what we talked about:

Linda: Hi Lisa, how are you doing today. I know this has to be hard for you.

Me: Yeah, it IS hard. But Mommy, Daddy and Uncle UL say that talking to you about it could help. I think I understand that. In fact I’m sure it will help me, and maybe it will help Laura, too. [I sorta got choked up and began to cry a little bit].

Linda: [She gave me a box of Kleenex, which was real nice of her, but sorta made me cry a little bit more-lol]. Well, I’ve talked with your Mom and Dad, but why don’t you tell me in your own words why you think you’re here? What is the problem that brings you here today, Lisa dear?

Me: Ok. It’s cuz I love my friend Laura soooo much. She’s my best friend. She’s been my neighbor since second grade, and we’ve always been in the same class and we always play together, have sleepovers and talk on the phone, text all the time and just have all kinds of fun! Now she has a tumor. It’s in her brain. Its cancer and she’s gonna die real soon. She’s gonna DIE! Laura’s gonna DIE! OH MY GOD! [And now I started to cry real bad].

Linda: [Linda got up from her desk and came around to my chair and gave me a big hug for about 5 whole minutes—that felt real good, and I cried and cried]. There, there, Lisa. Go ahead and cry, thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so glad that you trust me enough to tell me that and to cry with me. [I could see that Linda had tears too and she cried some too, not like me, but she cried too! That was so nice. Once we were both calm again, we talked again]. You said you’re here because you love Laura. Can you tell me what you mean by that?

Me: Ya mean why I love Laura?

Linda: If that’s what you want to tell me.

Me: Yeah, I wanna tell you that and I wanna tell you HOW I love Laura. OK, Linda?

Linda: Sure, Lisa, that sounds great.

Me: I like you. I like you a lot already, Linda. You’re so nice and so pretty. Thank you ALREADY! [And I smiled a big smile and so did Linda].

Linda: Thanks honey, you’re really nice and really pretty, too sweetheart. And I really like you a lot already too! That’s really good. You’re a good girl and you’ll do well talking with me, I can tell. [We both smiled real big smiles again].

Me: Ok, first let me tell you how I love Laura. I love Laura different than I love Mommy and Daddy. I love Mommy and Daddy like everything, but I love them as the people who gave me my life. They are both real good people too and teach me how to do the right things. They have fun with me and play with me and stuff, and they take me on vacations and they gave me my new doggie and I love all that. But I love them each different than each other too, it’s not what they do it’s who they are. Daddy is a lot different than Mommy, but I love them both just as much but just different. Does that make sense?

How sad when a young one dies. :'(

Linda: Absolutely!

Me: GOOD! Ok. I love everbody. Uncle UL taught me that. I learned it from Sunday school too, and from my Reverend Sara too. This is how I love everbody. God made everbody. And even if ya don’t believe in God, and lots ‘o nice people don’t, everbody deserves to be loved no matter what. Uncle UL luvs the words UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. I do too. We believe that we love everbody no matter what they say or do, just cuz they’re people. There’s reasons for why people do what they do, but really mostly that’s none of my business. I don’t hafta love WHAT people say or do, but if I LOVE the person no matter what, then I won’t feel so bad about them. And also, I might be better able to help ‘em if I can. AND, sometimes I might hafta judge what somebody does—like if it’s a good thing or a bad thing they did—but I don’t hafta judge the person AT ALL! Phew! That’s a big relief. And I happen to be a Christian, and my religion says that God is the judge of folks, and that everbody gets to repent or make up for what they did. Am I still making sense, Linda?

Linda: WOW, honey, ARE you making sense! You are an amazing young woman, Lisa.

Me: Ok, good. Everbody does bad things sometimes and what’s real bad to me might not be real bad to you. Guess what?

Linda: What?

Laura 'n me are Christians, So's Reverend Sara.

:) <3

Me: I’m a thief. Yup. I’m a thief. I’ve stolen a few times. I remember taking a quarter off the dining room table once without telling Mommy or Daddy. I didn’t get caught, but I would tell them now if I thought of it, and I should repay the quarter, too. I like pens a lot, and lots of times I keep ‘em when I borrow ‘em at school. I don’t even think about it, I just do it. And they’re usually the nicest pens. Uncle UL laughs and calls me a ‘pen klepto.’ He sez a kleptomaniac steals without thinking. That’ Lisa and pens alrighty! In Jesus’ time stealing was considered a lot worse crime than it is now. I’d get in real trouble if I lived in Bethlehem and stole somebody’s pen alrighty! That’s fer sure! So, am I a thief, Linda?

Linda: Well, I guess by a strict definition…. I suppose somebody…

Me: Come on Linda. [I kinda chuckled] Am I a thief?

Linda: Ok, you’re a thief, Lisa Left.

Me: Am I a bad person?

Linda: OH NO, DEFINITELY NOT A BAD PERSON. You, my dear, are obviously a thoughtful and sweet kid!

Me: There, ya just judged my actions but didn’t judge me!

Linda: Holy Cow, my dear, you are something else!

Me: So, there’s somewheres around 6 billion folks on earth right now Uncle UL sez. He’s full ‘o all kinds of weird statistics. He knows things like the number of workers in places like Tibet and stuff. He’s kinda weird like that. And I luv ‘em all UNCONDITIONALLY. No matter what they do. Cuz we all have a good person somewheres inside. In some it’s real deep for some reasons, in others not so deep. But we all deserve that kinda love. So I love you Linda.

Lots 'o people are atheists and agnotics.

They're cool, too!

:)

Linda: Awwwwww. [She gave me a big, big smile]. I LOVE you too, Lisa. [And she came around the desk again and gave me a totally different happy kinda hug this time].

Me: But Mommy and Daddy are different. I luv them cuz of knowing them and cuz we have a relationship with each other. We get along real good, and treat each other in ways that make us feel a special feeling like you’d be willing to do anything for ‘em just to make sure they’re ok. It’s the same with my Uncle UL. I luv him differently. He doesn’t live with me, I don’t see him every day, but we talk on the phone and text almost every day, and he comes over all the time. He’s not just my uncle, he’s a really good friend, too, and he has good values. He teaches me cool things like esplainin’ Unconditional Love and stuff like that. Plus he gets really silly a lot and we just giggle, and giggle and giggle sometimes. He’s a real nerd. And he needs the Hair Club For Men real bad, too. We laugh about stuff like that. He calls me Socrates or Plato cuz I like to talk philosophically all the time and stuff and we laugh like heck! Am I still makin’ sense toya, Linda?

Laura 'n me aren't Jewish either, but we luv Jewish people too!

<3

Linda: You’re teaching me some brand new stuff Plato!

Me: Teehehehe! Then there’s you. I hardly know you, but I know I love you unconditionally cuz you’re a people, and a pretty one at that [and I winked at her-lol].  But I also know that you chose to be a Social Worker and to help people for a living and I like that. I know you cried with me already, and hugged me twice, and that you are real nice to talk to. So you’re beginning to earn love too, besides the unconditional kind.  The people who earn love in addition, those people are friends. Family members don’t automatically get that earned love. Uncle UL definitely has and so have Mommy and Daddy. Does that make sense?

Linda: Indeedy it does. Boy do I have a few klunkers in my family, I think we all do. Lol.

Me: LOLOL! YUP, ya sure got that one right, Linda! So now, even though you’re my counselor, you’re already fitting into that friend category too. I have friends from school and other places too, like soccer and stuff, not lots, but a few. I don’t usually have LOTS of friends, I’m not really a social butterfly. But my friends are the ones I talk to outside of school and soccer and stuff, who I hang out with, go shopping with or go out to the movies with or sumthin. My friends and me, we talk about personal stuff, about our feelings and stuff and trust each other that we won’t tell just everbody everything we say to each other. And we usually have fun together which is why we hang out. We laugh a lot. I like to laugh. These are people who have my Unconditional Love, and have earned it, too. If I’m in trouble, or they are, we know we can count on each other. Make sense?

Linda: You’re still on a roll Socrates.

Me: [Big smile]. Then there’s Sharon. She’s one of my friends, but she’s real cute, and I kinda have a crush on her. We are kinda thinking about being more than friends, if you know what I mean, but that’s just between you and me, promise?

Laura 'n me aren't Muslim either, but I think

their symbol and their religion is way cool, too.

The more differences there are the funner it could be

ifya just think of it that way!

So sez Plato.

;O)

:)

<3

Linda: Absolutely. Everything you say here stays here.

Me: Good. Anyway, Sharon’s real cute and I love her differently, kind of romantic like. I’m just beginning to understand romantic love from first-hand experience. It’s a lot different now than when I was a LITTLE kid. When Sharon and I hold hands or stuff, I get all goose bumply. Lol. So that’s different too. She’s a friend, she’s earned my love, but there’s definitely something different. It’s like what Mommy and Daddy feel toward each other I guess.

Linda: Ok.

Me: But now here comes the hard part. Give me a minute.

Linda: Take your time honey.

Me: Ok, I’m ready. When I moved in to the house we lived in when I was 7, I was all alone and had no friends at ALL in the whole town and in the whole school. It was summer, and I was scared that when I went to school nobody’d know me and stuff. I’d play outside in the yard and see Laura a couple of houses down playing, too, usually with her older brothers. At first I was way too shy to say anything to any kid around there. But Laura came over after about a week, and told me her name and asked mine. We talked, and she asked if I could come over. I went inside and asked Mommy, she came out and talked to Laura’s Mommy, and I went over and we played outside. Laura’s parents were real nice and asked if I wanted to stay for dinner. I’ll never forget it. Mommy said I could! I was so excited to have a real friend. We played in her bedroom before dinner, and we talked. I told her that I was kinda scared about moving into the new town, and it was real easy talkin’ to her, just like you’re real easy to talk to, Linda.

Linda: Awwww. Thank you so much Lisa, you’re something.

Me: Anyways, we hung out all summer, and she’d come over for dinner, and I’d go over there for dinner, and they’d [Laura and her brothers] come over for our picnics and parties and I’d go to theirs. We had a couple of sleepovers and had lots of fun together. We talked about everything. I think I started developing my Plato style with Laura all the way back then, cuz she was a talker with me too! Not with other people so much, she’s mostly shy with most people but not with ME! [I smiled a BIG smile]. So second and third grade were a breeze compared to what they would have been without my best friend on earth, LAURA! Uncle UL talks about friends like this. He sez that friends are those who earn love beyond Unconditional Love. The set a standard of friendship, either they have values or qualities that you like and that make you get along real good. Those are your friends. Then, Uncle UL sez, there are those who raise the bar of friendship SOOOO HIGH that you could call them “Pole Vaulting Friends.” These people, they are special gifts. These are your BEST friends. Better’n family in some ways. Laura and I know so many things about each other it’s amazing. She knows lots of things about me that Mommy and Daddy don’t and never will, probably. Laura pole vaults a hunnerd feet HIGH! She’s the best friend anyone could ever have! I LOVE her so much! Wait… hang on….

Linda: Take your time honey, you’re doing great.

Me: Ok, I’m ready again. In the summer between third and fourth grade, Laura came to me real serious. She said she had something to tell me. She had to move! Her family was moving out of town! OMG! She was so upset! I was so upset! We both cried our eyes out. We would miss each other bad and she was real scared, cuz like I said she’s real shy and was scared about moving to a whole new town and school like I was in second grade. Oh my God. The ‘for sale’ sign went up in front of their house and within 2 weeks Laura and the whole Meyers family was gone. We cried and cried the whole two weeks, but we also talked about the tons of good times, too. Mr. Meyers had been transferred in his big important job, and that was it. Until two weeks later. HE GOT TRANSFERRED RIGHT BACK and they hadn’t even sold the house yet, and so they just came right on back. I remember seeing Laura, she saw me outside and came running at me and gave me this huge bear hug! I asked her if they forgot sumthin or sumthin? She said no it was for good. She was BACK! It was like the best feeling we both ever had! Oh MY God! It was wonderful. Since then we’ve just gotten even closer every single day. There isn’t a day that’s gone by since then that we haven’t talked. I remember I had to have my appendix taken out and was in the hospital, and she came every day! She called all the time when I was in there, otherwise I’d have been bored outa my mind!

Linda: What a good friend she is. A pole vaulter?

How I think of Laura

<3

:'(

Me: 100% ABSOLUTELY! Then I remember when my Grampa got sick, real sick. He came to stay with us. He was gonna die, and was getting home hospice treatment at our house. It was so sad. I loved Grampa the best outa all my grandparents. Laura would come every day, and talk to me AND to Grampa. She was so kind, she always made Grampa smile. She even asked if she could stay over at the very end, and Mommy and Daddy said yes. Mommy, Daddy, me and Laura were there when Grampa died. Grampa loved Laura, too. She was there the whole time during the wake and funeral and stuff. Wow, she was so good for me and my whole family. [I smiled a kinda crooked smile].

Linda: [A couple of tears rolled down her cheeks]. That’s a beautiful story, Lisa. She certainly is an amazing girl and so are you. What a wonderful friendship you have.

Me: Yeah. And don’t get me wrong, I’m really grateful for her. But you asked me why I’m here, it’s cuz I love Laura so much. And ya asked me what I meant by “I love Laura.” So there’s just the beginning of the ‘how’ I love Laura, and the why I love Laura. I love Laura like an Olympic gold medal pole vaulting best friend, and I love her because of her soul, we share a lot of the same one, I think, really. Yaknow, I think there’s romance in every friendship, too. Not, you know, like the Valentine’s day kind Mommy and Daddy have or like I’m thinking I maybe have like with Sharon, but a romantic story nevertheless. It’s a love story for sure when you have a real good best friend like Laura.

Linda: I can see that.

Me: And I’m so scared for her. I’m afraid of how she’s gonna feel. I’m worried sick that she’s gonna be in bad pain, REAL bad pain. But I sure am lucky and so is she. Like I said before, lots of real good folks don’t believe in God or nuthin’ but I do, and so does Laura. We pray a lot. We’ve already been doing that for about a year now. She knows Reverend Sara, too and loves her, too. All of us know that she’s gonna get to have a passage into a new kind of life that is wonderful beyond our imagination. She’s gonna pass into a new life, just like she did when she was born from her Mommy’s womb. But just like then, from the comfort of the placenta, it’s impossible to understand what’s on the other side of that canal. But what we, as Christians believe, and Laura’s faith is firm, is that what’s waiting for her on the other side is awesome indeed. And on this side, will be left a whole bunch of us with broken hearts, but I know that when I pass, I’m gonna get to see Laura and Grampa again. She’s gonna get to see Grampa real soon, and that’ll sure make Grampa happy!

Linda: Wow, honey. You sure did great for your first session. What a joy you are.

Me: You’re a joy, too. I love you Linda.

Linda: I love you, too, Lisa.

And Linda and Me,

We hugged, and hugged, and hugged.

The end.

For now!

I’ll be back!

You guys know that by now!

I love all ‘o u guys!

Especially u Laura.

<3

:’(

: )

And ifya wanna help

and make sure more

folks like Laura don't die

from Cancer, try clicking

this link and

seeing whatcha can do

to help:

http://www.cancer.org/

Dedicated to my newest friend, Ms. Shay Lynn.

:)