My mind goes back in time to a mummy. His name was Robert, and he was a special little boy. He was cute; Robert was blessed with good looks. It must have been elementary school, or could have been junior high, that I saw the mummy dance for the first of two times.

His mom must have helped him put his costume together for the talent show. He was an authentic mummy all right, wrapped from head to toe in white strips of linen. There was a song that was popular back in the 60s with mummy lyrics, but I don't recall the name of the song. It'll be one of those songs I hear on "Forgotten Oldie Friday"… but I won't forget… I'll think, that is the song that the mummy danced to so many years ago.

His act was a hit, how could I ever forget how much the kids liked it? How could he forget either for that matter?

Robert was a nice guy. I don't recall any bad memories of him or unkind words. And throughout our growing up, he still had those incredible good looks. Tall, olive skin and coal black hair, dimples in both cheeks, just made a girl want to melt when he flashed his dazzling boyish grin her way.

Once after high school, we were living in the same town, and I ran into him in the grocery story. We talked briefly and his voice had grown deeper. I remember telling him, "You look like the Robert I remember but do not sound like him."

In the late 70s, I saw him at a dance with his then girlfriend who later became his wife. She was like him in appearance, very attractive, beautiful girl with long dark hair that flowed halfway down her back. I saw them dancing together, and it was natural and beautiful, just as they were. They danced effortlessly and her hair swung as she dipped and swayed. I envied their dancing… Once again, I saw the mummy dance, but this time all grown up and instead of a child dancing to a silly song, I saw a man in love dancing with his sweetheart.

I saw Robert years ago at a reunion. He gave me a very sweet hug and his face lit up when he saw me… the hug was natural; we were old classmates reunited and happy to see one another.

Another classmate told a story about him getting angry and kicking at his dog. He missed the dog and kicked his porch. In the porch-kicking episode, the porch won and Robert's foot was broken. Our former classmate was the technician that had x-rayed his foot.

Several years back, he had some struggles in his life. Struggles that were so severe and hurtful to him that he took his own life.

He certainly was a nice guy. I will always remember the mummy's dance. I won't ever forget.

(In Memory of Robert Foster) Copyright © 2002, LaRose Karr. All rights reserved.

About the author: LaRose Karr is a contributing writer to God Allows U-Turns published under the Promise Imprint by Barbour Publishing and will have a devotional included in the Sept-Oct. 2002 of The UpperRoom magazine. She believes her writing is a gift from God and give HIM all the glory!  She enjoys speaking to women's groups.

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