Robert Scott:  

Updated; 2-28-24 I realize this post is a little long, once I got started, I couldn’t stop. I found it to be a little therapeutic for myself as well. Hope you read to the end, and thanks for visiting. I met my HS sweetheart at 17 (Linda Harris from Chaffey High), proposed to her at 19 at the A&W on Holt in Ontario. Oh yeah, I can be quite the romantic when I want to be. We were married at 21, and shared a wonderful 50+ years together before she passed away in Oct. of 2020. She had Parkinson’s Disease for 17 years. Unfortunately, 80% of PD patients develop dementia and Linda had that for the last 3 1/2 years, and that’s what took her life. A few years back, she asked me, “why would I stay with someone in her condition?” I said, “WHOA, stop right there! You remember, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health? This is what I signed on to the night I said, “I DO,” and I’m not going anywhere and neither are you. This is our journey, and we’re going through it together. I not only love you, but I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU, and you’re staying right here with me, don’t you worry about a thing, I’M going to take care of you, and don’t you even think for a minute you’re a burden, you’re the love of my life.” She got all emotional, and the rest is private. When the time came, I didn’t want to be in another part of the house, and didn’t want her to be alone. So I laid next to her, holding her hand, and watched her take her last breath. At that moment, I realized I had just lost half of me, the better half. I just buried my face in her neck and shoulder and cried like a baby. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but I’d do it all over again for her, and wouldn’t trade this experience we went through for the world. During her dementia, there were occasionally moments of clarity and times where Linda would give me certain looks…that WERE Linda. A beautiful smile, a gesture of approval, a loving comment, or a certain expression with those beautiful bright hazel eyes. I’d say to myself, “there’s my girl, she’s still in there.” There are sights and sounds that I will never be able to get out of my mind. One of those is when Linda cried out, “I WANT MY MOMMY!” I knew then, she was giving up. What a very emotional moment that was. Well, she’s with her mommy now. I was totally aware of the fact that 71% of caregivers die before the person they are caring for, simply from all the stress and anxiety of the daily challenges. But I was determined to take care of my bride even if it killed me. You’d be surprised what you can endure when given only one option. I had to tell myself, “get your head around this Bob, and step up to the plate, this is your bride, your wife, the mother of your sons, and she needs me now more than ever.” I prayed everyday that the Lord would keep me strong and healthy for Linda, and He did just that. Not sure why I felt compelled to share this, other than to illustrate the fact that we had such loyalty and an unconditional love for each other. I know Linda would have done the same for me if the table was turned. I don’t blame God in the least, I never want to do that. Yes, I’m a little angry right now, and I know He completely understands that. I know He had His reason, but I’ll never understand, that out of the two of us, why her and not me? Linda NEVER abused her body with cigarettes, alcohol or drugs, and she didn’t deserve what she went through. Linda worked for a Christian university where people could talk about God and express their beliefs without any repercussions. The students knew they could come to Linda for prayer at any time. She wouldn’t just say, “I’ll keep you in prayer,”…oh no. She would take the time and pray with them right then and there, and many times would even cry with them as well. That’s just who she was. She had a real heart for people who needed comforting. Linda touched a lot of peoples lives, not just by witnessing, but with the humbling acceptance of her disease, which was a witness in and of itself. That’s why I continue to ask the Lord, “why her, and not me?” Linda was such a giver. Believe me when I say, “she was a better person than I could EVER hope to be. Awesome character and eager to forgive.” Linda never ever complained a single time about her disease. She “fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith.” She was a real trooper, and I thank the Lord she knew me at the end. HALLELUJAH! I find total peace and comfort knowing the very moment she entered into the Lord’s arms, she heard, “well done, good and faithful servant.” I know without a shadow of a doubt, she’s in Heaven eagerly waiting for me with open arms. All in the Lord’s timing of course. So…we have two wonderful sons and two awesome grandkids. The grandson is now a former US Marine…OORAH! Out of HS, had several odd jobs until I got into law enforcement. Put 7 years in total with Chino PD, Pomona PD and Riverside Co. Sheriffs, until I had had enough of their political BS. So I opened a photography studio and had that for 18 years. Sold it, went to work for a friend in the structural steel business until retiring in March of 2018 to take care of my bride full time. Been to 16 states and 3 countries, can’t beat the SoCal weather. I pretty much like all foods, I like drama, action and adventure movies. I could watch Romancing the Stone over and over. I like Gone With the Wind, Gladiator, Rainman, Blazing Saddles, Dirty Harry movies and Spaghetti Westerns. Love watching old black and white movies. Always been a big fan of Laurel and Hardy, the Three Stooges and W. C. Fields. I love the original Out of Towners with Jack Lemmon, HILARIOUS! However, my all time favorite movie is, It’s a Wonderful Life, and of course, Jimmy Stewart has always been my favorite actor. I remember one time Linda and I were at the drive-in watching JAWS. Her stomach was in such knots watching the shark eat Quint, that she literally, THREW UP! Thank God for vinyl seats. I like music from the 40’s through the 80’s, big Roy Orbison fan, always loved the Righteous Brothers but still hate the Beatles. We went to a lot of concerts back in the day. Saw groups like, Three Dog Night, the Young Rascals, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, Ricky Nelson, KC and the Sunshine Band, Kenny Rogers and the 1st Edition, Dan Fogelberg and of course, the Righteous Brothers at the Carousel in Covina. Who remembers Mel’s Hamburgers, Pup ‘N’ Taco, Pail-O-Chicken? How about Henry’s car hop? Or the Big “T” parking lot where drag race challenges were usually met going down North Garey Ave. (✋GUILTY). Or cruising Sunset Blvd. at .28 cents a gallon. How about Sleepy Hollow or the Green Mist in Los Serranos? Or, checking out those “spooky” places in Ganesha Park?..at night! Then there was haulin’ butt out Baseline Road with those deep dips where you could get a “little” airborne. YEEEEEE HAW! Crazy, but man those were the days weren’t they? I guess I could point the finger at my dad of me having somewhat of a thrill for speed. After all, it was he that took me to the Winternationals from a very young age. “YOUR HONOR, IT’S THAT MAN’S FAULT I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY!” (Love ya dad, for the good times we had). In 1969, I bought a new Roadrunner. Boy did Linda love going through those gears. Oh yeah, I hooked up with the right girl alright. Linda loved hanging out in the garage with the boys and I as we wrenched on hot rods. She would bring us snacks, get tools, or just sit and watch the three men in her life. It just doesn’t get any better than that! Who remembers Miss Dickey, the English teacher…what a hottie, and Mr. Hunt the auto shop teacher, he was a pretty cool dude. When I was in HS, I thought 30 years old was a long way off. When 30 came, I laid on the couch all day….depressed. Going into one decade after the other hasn’t been too bad, but, I think 75 might hit me. Ha! Luckily, that’s a couple of years off. Currently working on a street rod project that’s been on the back burner for awhile and hope to have it up and running by THIS Spring or Summer. Lost a few friends along the way from illness’ but still see a friend from 2nd grade now and then. Over time, I’ve lost a father, a mother and a sister. Sad as that is, I can assure you it doesn’t compare to losing your spouse, especially when they were also your very best friend. All and all, life’s been good, I’ve certainly been blessed, and I owe it all to the Lord. Blessings aren’t always material things. The best ones are those that no amount of money can buy. Thank you Lord, for blessing me with such an awesome wife (and not a high maintenance one 😜), but who was FAITHFUL, who had a loving, caring, thoughtful heart and ALWAYS put others first before herself. She wouldn’t even take the best looking fries at In-N-Out. Her excuse was, she always liked the little over cooked ones….yeah right. Yep, you’re beginning to know what Linda’s character was really like. Obviously, there wasn’t a selfish bone in Linda’s body, and that’s an understatement. She was beautiful inside and out, simply…..GORGEOUS! Of great character and an awesome AWESOME personality, all wrapped up in that 5 foot 4 little package. Linda’s personality was just one of her many character traits that caused me to fall head over heels in love with her. She definitely had me “hook, line and sinker.” I often would ask myself, “as gorgeous as she was, what the heck did she ever see in me? I don’t know.” She was out of my league, I came from the Southside of the tracks, and compared myself to the boy from “Down in the Boondocks.” I definitely married up, and consider myself a very lucky lucky man. However, Linda’s dad pretty much approved of me from the get go, as he had previous knowledge of me from an aunt he knew from church. Linda’s mom on the other hand, well, she wanted Linda to marry someone with money. HA! But I’m convinced, it had more to do with the fact that I was a...Expand for more