Conversation At The Nursing Home

Thanksgiving week at the Nursing Home. We were there one morning sewing "friendship stars" with about ten ladies in the dining hall. This is what I heard...

“Where’s my project?”
“Here you go, Helen.”
“Oh…. But you said you were going to work on it for me.”
“I didn’t have time; but we’ll help you today.”
“Why didn’t you work on my quilt?”
“I just didn’t have a chance, Helen. I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.”
“I’ll thread a needle for you and help you, okay?”
“Okay. Hurry up.”
“Alright… Are you ready for Thanksgiving, Helen?”
“I don’t care whether it comes or goes.”
“Oh.”
“Does this class start at ten?”
“Yes, it does. Were you expecting visitors?”
“Never mind. I have something on my mind.”
“Okay. Look, you can sew right along this line.”
“All right.”
“Hey Mom! Are you doing an activity?”
“Is this your daughter, Helen?”
“Yes. Hi, Marie.”
“Hi Mom! How’s it going?”
Sniff. Sniff.
“Why don’t you come to visit me?”
“Mom, I was just here on Friday! Don’t cry.”
“What day is it today?”
“Monday. I was here two days ago. You don’t remember?”
“You haven’t been here for so long. You never come.”
“Mom, I was just here. Don’t cry.”
“Marie, I don’t want to live anymore.”
“Mom, don’t say things like that.”
Sniff. Sniff.
“What have you been doing, Mom? How’s it going?”
“I don’t do anything. I just sit in my room all the time.”
“I have you doing all the activities here, Mom. You don’t just sit. Remember? Looks like you got your nails done.”
“Oh yeah. You know what, Marie?”
“What now?”
“I’m going to write it all down.”
“That’s a good idea. Then you’ll remember.”
“Here, Helen, you can sew this now. You’re doing great stitching!”
“Thank you.”
“Do you like to read, Helen?”
“I love to.”
“What do you like to read?”
“Oh, everything. But I don’t have any books.”
“Oh, didn’t you know they have a library here? We’ll get some books for you.”
“Mom, you don’t need any more books! You have nine-thousand in your room!”
“I do? Show them to me.”
“They are all piled on your night stand. Piles and piles. Nine thousand!”
“Oh.”
“You’ve got plenty to read.”
“Marie, can I come to your house for Thanksgiving?”
“No, Mom, I’m not having Thanksgiving. Bob’s not getting home till after six.”
Sniff. Sniff.
“Why don’t you ever come to see me?”
“Mom, I come here all the time.”
“Why don’t I know any of these people here? Why? Who’s that?”
“Don’t cry, Mom. That’s Thelma.”
“Have I seen you before?”
“I sit behind you in the dining hall.”
“Oh. Who’s that? I know that man.”
“Sure you do, Mom. That’s Jerry.”
“Hi Jerry!”
“Your quilt’s looking great, Helen.”
“Why am I so far behind everyone else? Why didn’t you work on it for me?”
“You’ll catch up. You’re doing well. I’ll pin this for you…”
“Why am I so far behind?”
“You aren’t behind. Look, Arlene is just getting started on her project today.”
“Oh.”
Smile.
“What’s your middle name, Helen?”
“Helen.”
“No, what’s your middle name, your second name?”
“Oh… Jean. Helen Jean. Right, Marie?”
“Jean? Where’d you get that, Mom?”
“I guess I always liked it.”
“Its eleven o’clock. We have to stop now for lunch. We’ll take your project and bring it back next time.”
“When do you come back?”
“In December.”
“A whole month? So long?”
“Yes, we’ll see you then. Good-Bye, Helen.”

“But when He saw the multitudes,

He was moved with compassion on them,

because they fainted, and were scattered abroad,

as sheep having no shepherd…”

Matthew 9:36

~Jenny