At the Manor
Yesterday at lunch I went into Sunset Manor (the Nursing Home at which my Grandfather is a resident). In the dining room Grandpa sits at a table by the window, and beside him is a small table seating three other residents. Bill, Ann and Joe, all of whome have some kind of condition that makes living at home impossible. Yesterday Ann was sitting by herself at the table looking at her cup of soup. Thinking to be friendly I started a conversation. It went something like this:
"Ann, arent' you going to try your soup? You'll want to drink it before it gets cold."
"They'll take it away."
"They brought it to you already."
"They'll take it away."
"Well then, why don't you drink some before they take it away?"
"SHUT UP!!"
This produced two or three seconds of stunned silence, and then I started laughing, the RN started laughing, the lady from the kitchen started laughing, and just about every other staff person in earshot joined in.
Then the RN said "Ann, we don't talk to people like that."
To which Ann replied, "Why not?"
I needed that laugh.
"Ann, arent' you going to try your soup? You'll want to drink it before it gets cold."
"They'll take it away."
"They brought it to you already."
"They'll take it away."
"Well then, why don't you drink some before they take it away?"
"SHUT UP!!"
This produced two or three seconds of stunned silence, and then I started laughing, the RN started laughing, the lady from the kitchen started laughing, and just about every other staff person in earshot joined in.
Then the RN said "Ann, we don't talk to people like that."
To which Ann replied, "Why not?"
I needed that laugh.