Friday, July 11 (The Gift)

A few weeks ago, after my essay about how Lost sustained me during chemo came out in the Post-Gazette, a man contacted me through Facebook to share his own cancer story, as well as his love of Lost, and to tell me how much my essay had affected him. We had brief and friendly exchange of good wishes. A few weeks after that, he checked in to see how I was doing, and shared a photo of a framed piece of Lost paraphernalia he'd won in the prop auction that took place in LA after the show ended in 2010. Then he suggested we meet in person, because he had something he wanted to give me. 

Today, we met at Starbucks, and after a nice chat about our cancer journeys and Lost, he told me about the many things he'd acquired from the auction. He'd brought one in to show me, and then said the rest were out in his car, just outside. (Writing this, it sounds creepy, but it wasn't at all.) He showed me a few more of his Lost treasures, and then took out two walking sticks that the character John Locke had carved in an episode called "Everybody Loves Hurley." He told me they were for me, and that they would be with me as I continued my life for many more years, supportive companions. After he assured me he'd given plenty of Lost items to his grown children and they'd all agreed, after also reading my essay, that he should give these to me, I thanked him profusely. 

I walked home with the walking sticks in my hands--not through the jungle of Lost but through lively Squirrel Hill--amazed to have a physical piece of the show in my hands. 

The certificate of authenticity he also gave me recaps the role the walking sticks played in the episode: "Sawyer sees Locke stripping the bark from the stick and asks him if he's making a spear; Locke responds by telling him that he's not sure what it's going to be, and that he'll wait until the time is right and that it would tell him." The faith he conveys--that things will become clear; that there's a purpose even within the uncertainty--is one of the reasons why John Locke was my favorite character.

Reaching out, and offering this gift, were kind gestures from a kind person.