Wear a Name Tag and Bring Candy
Posted: Tuesday, December 16, 2008
by John Brazell
I first met Lena when she shared a nursing home dining table with my mother-in-law.
Though she was in Dallas to receive care and be near family, her heart remained in the place of her carefree youth, Llano, a picturesque little town up Highway 71 West in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. You'd like it there too.
To her delight, I called her Lena from Llano.
I was never quite sure who embellished more, Lena or moi. Both of us could conveniently blame it on faulty memory or "editorial privilege" sort of like what I might be doing now. I was willing to call it a tie but because of our age difference declared her the winner.
Next day I brought her an extra Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut candy, my favorite, and turns out, hers too. Exercising buyer's privilege, I had two of them myself.
I seldom go to Llano, but rather pass through on my way somewhere else, as I did recently. I always think of Lena especially her quick smile and response to the perfunctory and possibly inappropriate greeting of "How are you" in a nursing home.
Her reply was always a cheerful, "I'm doing the best I can with what I've got."
Over a period of several years I saw her fairly often then less when she moved to another section of the dining room. One afternoon we both appeared in the garden area at the same time. I was delighted to see her again.
We chatted, and then chatted, regaling each other with stories, embellishing our way along. After fifteen or twenty minutes it became apparent she didn't recognize me. I stopped during a break in the conversation and asked gently, "Do you know who I am?" She paused, looked at me quizzically, and kept talking.
We continued the verbal nothingness and ten minutes into it, concerned, I tried again, "Do you know who I am?"
This time she responded with a mix of helpfulness and sympathy, "No I don't, but if you'll ask down at the front desk, they'll tell you."
Should there be any moral or redeeming value to this story - and most likely there isn't -- it is that people don't need to know you to have a happy life. Just wear a name tag and bring candy.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)I enjoyed reading this article very much John. Thanks for sharingDavid, glad you enjoyed the story and thanks for taking time to respond. It's difficult to find humor in a nursing home, but obviously it is there. I grew very attached to some of the folks, Lena was one of them.Best to you,John
Yes, this is a funny article, but it is very real also. We had a delivery service that delivered medications to nursing homes for a long time, and had many occassions to get to know the patients.It would have been even better if John had the opportunity to take Lena back to LLano for a visit. I know that this is not possible, the residents are not allowed to leave with visitors.Bet she would have remembered that! At least for the night.Really enjoyed this article.JoyceJoyceJoyce, thanks for responding and I'm pleased you enjoyed it. Yes, it would have been a great treat for both of us to go to Llano - me to watch and her to enjoy. Nursing homes are filled with human treasures like Lena. I believe laughter is still the best medicine and Lena would be pleased if she knew of the smiles the story elicited.Regards, John
You have an absolutely wonderful way of painting a picture for your reader with the words you use. I enjoyed this piece very much, as i do all of your work. Great job!
I am continually amused at the wit and humor of John Brazell. His perspective is unique but fondly familiar and rings a note of truth. I relate to him and enjoy his work. Bill Ward
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