Janet Midler received a telephone call from someone in Cincinnati, Ohio. She assumed it was from her son who was at a conference there.
“Hello,” Janet said.
“Is this Janet Midler?” the voice asked on the other end.
“Yes, it is.”
“Is Ricky Midler your son, Janet?”
“Yes. What is this all about?”
“I have bad news for you, Janet. Would you sit down before I tell you?”
“Oh, my,” Janet said. “Let me find a chair. There. Go ahead. I hope my son’s all right.
“I’m afraid not, Mrs. Midler. Your son was poisoned along with more than one thousand other diners in the Cincinnati conference center banquet hall, Mrs. Midler. I am very sorry. I know this is a shock and a great loss to you.”
Tears rolled over the old lady’s face.
“No. It can’t be.”
“I’m afraid that it is. He’s not alone. Everyone in his company who was there has passed away also, Janet. More than one thousand people were poisoned at that banquet. It was a mass homicide, Mam. I am very sorry for your loss. Is there anyone I can call who can come to your house to help you?”
“Please call my daughter.”
She gave the voice her daughter’s number. “Her name is Betty.”
“Are you feeling all right, Mrs. Midler.”
“No. I’m not. I’m going to be terribly ill.”
“We are calling your daughter right now. Please stay with me. I’ll connect you when she answers.”
“Thank you.”
Janet heard her daughter answer the phone. The voice told her the bad news and asked her to arrange to go over to her mother’s house. Then she was connected.
“Mom? Is Ricky really gone, Mom?” Betty asked.
“They say he is.”
“Oh my God, Mom,” Betty said. “I just talked with him this morning. He was fine.”
“Please leave work and come over, Betty. I’m falling apart. Please come home.”
“I’ll be leaving in ten minutes, Mom.”
“I love you, Betty,” Janet said.
“I love you, too.”
Janet walked into the kitchen. She remembered how she and Ricky would make cookies for Christmas. They always had such a good time with the green and red sprinkles. He was a lot of fun punching out the stars, bells, and angels with his tiny hands. Ricky was her little man. Even passed away, he would be her little man. His memories were sewn into her heart forever. Janet reached into the drawer where her old cookie cutters were stored. She touched them. They were still Ricky’s in her mind, and in her mind, Ricky was still alive and would be right there inside her forever.