“Sadie-in-Waiting” by Christian author Annie Jones is a delightful Southern story about a woman in her late thirties who has given over her life to the care and keeping of others. She has a hard time saying no or standing up for herself, and consequently, feels as though she’s been waiting her whole life for it to be her turn. Well, she has, because she’s never insisted on taking her turns. She’s always given them to someone else. And then she sits and eats black jelly beans, wondering why her life seems to be about everyone else but her.
When the mayor comes to offer her a job working for the city in the cemetery, she’s shocked. Why on earth would the mayor ask her to be in charge of the cemetery? But maybe, if she’s not there, her family will realize just how much they need her. With this goal in mind, Sadie takes the position and in her typical style, goes overboard, wanting to be the very best cemetery supervisor there ever was.
Added to Sadie’s burden is the fact that her father is becoming irresponsible. He drove his car into the side of the bank, he wants to dress up and march with the little girls’ drill team in the town parade, and she can’t count on him to remain in the same place for two seconds altogether. When he suffers a stroke, and then runs off again a short time later, Sadie is distraught. She and her sisters embark on a road trip to find their father, who is on a road trip to locate the mother who left them all years before.
This book is filled with great humor and touching scenes. You’ll identify with Sadie as she goes through her moments of feeling underappreciated. You’ll laugh when she feels guilty for throwing away the tinfoil baking dish, even though she bought it so she could throw it away. Most of all, you’ll come away feeling as though you’ve made a new friend in Sadie.
(This book was published in 2004 by Steeple Hill Books.)