Bill Mott was a large gentle man with a smile on his face and in his heart. He got up at 4 a.m. every morning to drive a milk truck in Putney, Vermont.My husband and I lived up the road from him and his wife Andrea He always brought us apples, cheese, milk and Bill Mott jokes. Andrea and I became good girlfriends. So after not seeing them for about 20 years and living thousands of miles apart, I didn’t hesitate to call her when I heard he passed away.
It had only been a day since the funeral, but she described her loneliness and the long illness. But then she said” Bill loved your red shoe project. He told everyone about it. I went to town and tried on fancy red shoes and got blisters before I left the store. I finally bought red Mary Janes, but then I found these red boots from Canada at the Tractor Store. I love these red boots. The fancy City women always ask me where I got them. I go out in the cow shit and feed the chickens in them. ”
I still can’t imagine what shoes she bought at a tractor shoes. But the sadness in Andrea’s voice had morphed into joy talking about shoes.
I asked her to send me a picture. She said, ” Do you know they have yellow shoe laces?” I can’t wait to see these boots.
I love the Motts and am so happy SOLE SISTERS gave them joy and comfort in different ways.
In this holiday season after a horrible election–I felt hope. The Motts are people who keep on giving.
