Vivian's Florist

I think that their has always been a Vivian's Florist. It was located across the street from Mrs. P.Y. Waters Grocery. We were at the corner of Madison Street and South Broad and she was located on South Elm Street.

When ever we needed flowers we just went across the street and purchased the flowers. We knew that they were going to be fresh and if she made an arrangement it was always beautiful.

In 2004 my dad who had never been in the hospital had an aneurism and was rushed to Athens Medical Hospital. All of the family were called and we were told that he wouldn't have long to live that it had caused him to be blinded and he couldn't talk because of the side of the brain that was damaged.

We got ready and left to drive from Memphis, TN to Athens stopping in at the Atlanta Airport to pick up my sister Susan and her husband before driving on to Athens. When we got to the hospital to see him a large crowd had gathered and we made our way into the room. We were brought up to date with his condition and how long the doctor said that he had.

That evening I was setting by my father's bedside and holding his hand. I asked him if he knew who Palmer was to grip my hand twice. Their was no response but I still held on to his hand. With a heavy heart I let my dad know that we loved him and I hoped that he could hear me and know that this was one way to get the whole family together again. I then felt a response of his hand on mine.

I told the doctor about this and he told me it was just wishful thinking on my part, and with the damage that he had had he couldn't respond. That evening before we left to go to the motel I was sitting with him again and I decided to try out with him some of the rhyming he used to do with us as children. I said, If I didn't have to pay Uncle Sam so many taxes, I could own several Cadillac's.  Then I remembered the poem he had to learn in grade school. So I started to the first verse, I never saw a purple cow, and that when I heard in a low voice, "I hope I never see one." Then I said, "But I can tell you anyhow," then his voice he finished it, I'd rather see than be one." He then went on to say baby. I said mom is in the room across the hall. Mom is here and she is being taken care of. Then he said no, not mom, you're the baby. With trembling hands a softened heart I cried with happiness that I could talk with him before he died.

When the doctor came in I told him what had happened and again he shut me down with his theory. I said OK, just stand their and listen. I took my dad's hand and I let him know that it was me and I told him that the doctor was there in the room and he said that I was just wanting to believe something that wasn't true. So I asked him doe his help when I started the poem again. I never saw a purple cow, then I waited and then dad said, "Doc, I hope I never see one, But I can tell you anyhow, I'd rather see than be one. The doctor said, I think I owe you an apology.

He lived for about two weeks and he died the week of Valentine's Day 2004. Again we all gathered together for the viewing at Ivey Funeral Home in Commerce and picked out the casket and flowers for the funeral. We had his viewing on a Tuesday night and on Wednesday we had his funeral. At around 10:30 a.m. or 11:00a.m. we got a call from the house that my mother had passed away and would we have enough time for the funeral to be together. It was decided that this could not be arranged but we could go on and have my dad's funeral and wait and have a viewing of my mother and dad that same evening and have my mother's funeral the next day and then bury them both together and have one funeral possession.

I remembered my friend and Florist, Vivian. We drove down the street to her Florist and I asked her would she make me an arrangement for her casket. Vivian asked me what kind of flowers did I want as they hadn't gotten their order in yet. I just said, "Vivian, one thing I know is that the work that you do is amazing so just run it through your garden of flowers and I know that mom would have loved it." That evening when the flowers were delivered and put on her casket everyone commented about the flower arrangement. It was beautiful and it looked like a flower garden made with love.

"Thank You," Vivian for a job "well done."