Mary Was

MARY WAS

TO MARY WAS it must have seemed that life was out to get her. Throughout school--throughout junior high and high school and then on into college--she had tried to make friends. But her friendships never seemed to be like the friendships others had--that is to say, she never had a best friend, someone she could just let herself go with. After college, when it was time to marry, she married a guy she didn't particularly love--nor was loved by (within six months he had begun to beat her; not bad, but still he beat her)--and within two years they were divorced. Later she met and married another guy whom she didn't particularly love either, but he didn't beat her, and at times was even kind, and by this time she didn't expect much more than that. The marriage even developed into something that she could honestly tell others was "not bad," and she told some that she had even achieved a "degree of happiness." But then one evening at a restaurant, over dinner, Mary began choking on some food. Her husband went to her rescue, saved her life--that is, got the food out of her throat--but then, suddenly and inexplicably, she went into cardiac arrest. The paramedics, who were already on their way, revived her, she was saved again, but in the hospital, after all the tests had been conducted, she was placed on a medication that she was told would have to be taken for the rest of her life. The doctors further informed her that it would be unwise for them--for her and her husband--to attempt to have any children; the medication would be harmful on the fetus--and without the medication, her own life would be in grave danger. For a number of years, they lived this way: safely--and childless. But Mary seemed to grow stronger and more healthy with each year--indeed, more healthy than she had ever felt before. Without consulting a physician, they decided to halt the medication for awhile. And after six months Mary admitted that she felt just as strong without the medication as with it. And so, after much consideration, they decided to have a baby. Mary conceived, but during the fifth month of the pregnancy, she died of a massive heart attack.