Tuesday, August 18, 2009
SURVEYING THE DAMAGE
We haven’t been getting our mail regularly, and it isn’t until a pine tree falls on our neighbor’s house that we learn why. He’s an old southern gentleman, a retiree; he stays pretty much to himself, tending his garden. Today though, with a limb stabbing into his roof and a few neighbors milling about admiring the damage, he asks, “You keeping an eye on Mrs. D across the street?”
My wife and I look at each other, as if to acknowledge a loaded question.
“She’s been stealing everyone’s mail,” he says.
We’re quite familiar with Mrs. D’s condition, her Alzheimer’s; she gets a little confused.
He tells us how she walked into Pete’s house the other day. Luckily, Pete’s biker tenant didn’t panic; he simply informed her that her house was across the street and waited for her to process the information, to form a logical conclusion as to her whereabouts.
Mrs. D continues to wander our neighborhood. Her 92-year-old husband comes over to the downed tree, surveys the damage, and apologizes for his wife’s illness. He’s a bit rough around the edges. He says, “Just kick her in the ass and send her on her way.”
Of course we know he doesn’t mean it. Afterall, it is he who sprung her from a brief stint in the nursing home, after having heart surgery himself.
I take a deep breath and listen to the numerous conversations; the smell of pine, for whatever reason, has me thinking about how fragile we truly are.
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12 comments:
J.R.-God save us from the horrid "Alltimers". It's such a degrading way to melt back into the earth. I hope to go in my sleep like the grumpy old men wish for.
Such scares the shit out of me. It's hard to even imagine it happening but I know it does.
Oh, man -- sweet ending. Great image of the mail-stealing: must have been really excited about the mail when she was more present.
Many will be sadder if we ALL lose Saturday delivery, as is proposed.
Time to get a locking mail box.
Maybe Mrs. D is having a better time than we stuck in this reality can imagine.
oh dear poor lady
we really are fraile creatures
Timely post - my mother is becoming more and more confused - and fragile. Sad and so difficult to deal with.
I wonder what she's doing with the mail.
I hope she doesn't end up getting hurt or really lost.
You are so right, JR. We live an illusion of "security," don't we? My friend's grandmother has it, and I feel so badly for her and the whole family.
That picture of the tree is amazing. I'm glad it didn't hit a person.
I didn't realize the tree was that HUGE that fell on your neighbors house!!! --Bro, Ron
I was listening to a Sting concert when 9/11 occured. Cheb Mabi left the concert and Sting sang "How Fragile We are." That comes to mind everytime I see the Twin Towers dustbowl replays. I have to agree with Beth. I'm going thru the same thing now. Not easy at all. If I have to listen to that right wing diatribe any longer as they drive their Mercedes Benz, BMW's and Audi Foxes sold in this country
by a Governemnt who has National Health Care not paid by those mentioned; I'm going to vomit. Enjoyed the read. MW
Wow! What the heck happened to the tree? Did y'all get a storm or something?
I'm sorry to hear about the neighbor lady. Sorry & afraid.
She's not all that fragile with a husband like that!
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