My Friend Labrada McGraw

I had moved to Ocean Springs,Mississippi in Feb 2004. for a job. Actually it was to help out those that worked in the Reservations Department for the Hotel Casino I worked for in Reno,NV.  I found the South.. Deep South just couldn't take a joke..lol..No.. that is not it.. My Boss from Boomtown Hotel Casino thought something had to happen, since Corporate had decided to put all the Reservation down in Biloxi,Mississippi.  And of course that was the wrong thing to do, since those people down there had no idea about anything in and around Reno,Nv.  Nor were they educated on any of the other Hotel Casino's in any other place that was owned by Pennicale Entertainment.  The Reservationest would make a Guests stay in one Hotel, and put them in another Hotel Casino..lol.. We were more busy with fixing their messes.. That the General Manager to the Hotel Casino wondered if there was anyone that would go down there and try education them.  I asked to be sent down there. Of course .... I had to go down on my own, I drove down there knowing I had no where to live. I couldn't find anywhere to rent... and no one there would help me find        anything. Finally I had had enough of their Southern Ways.. and gave my 2 week notice.

I left Mississippi in July 5 months after I got there. After being brought into the Managers Office every single week.. I think I had had enough so that was it. I left on a Saturday.  I arrived at my Sisters house that she was sharing with her boyfriend. They had an extra bedroom. And I found another job in Elko,NV.  I lived in Elko from July till the middle of November or maybe it was right about Thanksgiving. I drove down to Reno,NV and applied for a job with Circus Circus, and was hired right then and there, I told them I had to go back to Elko and move my stuff out of the apartment I was renting.

1 week into working for the Hotel, one of the women I worked with told me about the Apartment she was renting and it was only 3 blocks away. I got the address, and drove over there on my day off.. At this time I was homeless.. I was sleeping at this beautiful Old Home that a woman owned and made sure the homeless women had a place to sleep.  I was one of those 8 women.  One night as we all got to bed, the door opened and one of the women that was in charge asked me and another woman if they could give our beds to a young mother and her 3 children. I was then walked around into the Old Home and I got to sleep inside and I was just thrilled.  Anyway.. I'm getting away from my story.

I went to this Apartment that that woman told me about. I went in and there was Labrada.  She was the Leasing Agent.  I told her that I was there because I needed an apartment. She had me fill out one of their forms everyone has to fill out. And then she showed me an apartment it was just a Studio, but shoot, it was a nice one .. I filled out the application, and that was it. After working for 3 Weeks, I finally got my first Paycheck. and I then drove back to the apartment and found that I had the apartment,  Labrada was so happy to see me. I gave her the money to move in and we became good friends..

for the past week or so, I had been hearing things about Labrada, She and I spoke by phone a few weeks back, and only for 2 or 3 minutes.. she had to hang up.  I told her I loved her ..and that was the last time I spoke to her.  I had tried and tried calling her Daughter, but always got her voicemail.. I finally called my friend Bobby and he finally gave me the right phone number. I have been transposing numbers lately.. for some silly reason..... I finally called her Daughter today and found that Labrada is on her Death Bed.  She has Brain Cancer.  And may not live the weeks end.. It has made me so sad.  She was such a different type of a friend.. sometimes I thought she was the best friend ever and then there were times I wondered why I had her as a friend.. But, mostly it was good thoughts.   But through thick and thin.. I kept her as a friend..