Rosa. Whenever I think of her, a smile spreads on my face!

Everyone felt comfortable in her presence.

She was so non-judgmental.

And fun.

Nothing was verboten.

There was the story of Rosa waiting at the bus terminal in between the long distance buses.

A few young guys were sitting next to her.

Before long they were all involved in a deep conversation,

the boys completely forgotting that Rosa was old enough to be their great grandmother let alone their grandmother.

She listened attentively.

You could talk about anything and nothing shocked her.

Basically Rosa was just plain fun to be with...old or young.

Ten years later Rosa was now in a seniors residence.

She hadn't changed - always elegantly dressed - except for the physical changes.

Before the changes had become too difficult for her to cope with,

she would give in to my prodding to take her out on adventures.

Like hiding behind the clothes racks at Holt Renfrew so we could watch unnoticed

the sugar daddies waiting, slumped on the sofa, while their young "protegees" were trying on tons of shoes.

Or going to Open House Sales on Sundays, between 2-4, acting like interested buyers, haggling about price.

But eventually the physical changes took over and Rosa didn't fight them. She stayed in her comfortable apartment in the seniors residence which her loving daughters had painstakingly decorated with marvelous great taste.

At first I felt terrible. She just sat in her lazy boy chair and refused to go out.

Little did I know.

I had no idea staying in her room, comfortably ensconced in her lazy boy chair, what an exciting life she was living!

The nurses aides had discovered the Rosa that the young boys had once discovered sitting around their baggage waiting for the bus.

Every day, two or three would ring her doorbell, each at a different time in the day, stick their key into the lock, stick their head inside and call out,

"Is the Doctor in the house?

When they heard the welcome, "She is, come right in!"

they came in, sat down with Rosa around the kitchen table,

and regaled her with stories of their love life!

As marvelous for them as it was for her. To whom else could they tell all those intimate details!

Rosa is long since gone.

But every time I think of her, a smile lights up my face.

She made all of us who knew her and loved her..........so happy!