My friend Judy

I haven't talked to my family very much about Judy.  Partly because of the way she looks.  Single women are often mistaken for being homosexual anyway.

She gets kind of moody and doesn't make sense sometimes, making it hard to be around her.  Her family is afraid that she will want to live with them.

I met Judy in 1979 at a day treatment program through mental health.  Everyday when she saw me she would ask, "Kathy, how's Sam?" Sam was our families cat.  Sam disappeared after my parents put out rat poison.  "When I saw Judy she asked, "How's Sam?"  I told her that Sam was gone and that I didn't want to talk about him anymore.
She understood.

I had planned to go to the movies with my friend Melva, but Melva changed her mind.  Judy was standing there, so I asked her to go.  She was thrilled.  After that, Judy followed me everywhere I went.  We talked about things like Howdy Doody, The Mickey Mouse Club and 50's TV shows, like Hop a Long Cassidy and the Lone Ranger.

I never dreamed we would end up rooming together.  During the 1980's I spent a lot of time in and out of hospitals and the halfway house.  During all that I moved in with the two Judys, Judy Mangum and Judy Fleming.  It was very hectic and confusing.

After my second visit to the State Hospital, I moved in with Barrie Fleming, Judy's little sister.  She lived with me for a while, then moved in with her boyfriend.  At about the same time Judy Fleming got pregnant and was sent to the State Hospital.  Judy Mangum and I moved in together.

We had some rocky times.  I ended up back in the State Hospital.  After I got out I went to live with Judy.  Neither one of us was doing very well.

I decided to get my own apartment.  Mom told me not to ever let Judy spend the night, because she would never leave.  Mom was right.  An overnight stay lasted 17 years.

When I got cancer, I could no longer take care of Judy.  She now lives at the Golden Living Center.

Judy has a family that visits her once or twice a year.  Other than that, she has no one but me.

I can't abandon her.