“She Ain’t Going?”
I have a work buddy who’s been battling hard with an elderly Mom.
Well, it’s not his Mom he’s battling with as much as it is life that’s giving him trouble.
“She’s in her 80’s and her health isn’t great. We have to bring a nurse on for six hours a day, and me and my siblings are taking turns making her dinner. They voted to put her in a home. I said, ‘She ain’t going,’ so, she’s living with me.”
That’s a little rough...
...he works all day and then sits with his Mom, and she’s really struggling.
“Know what she asked me the other day?” He asked.
I shrugged.
“She asked me how old I was when I figured out that life is all bullshit.”
I laughed.
“She was serious! It was Sunday and she slept late. I kept checking on her, but she was snoring. I was worried. Finally, I got her up. She couldn’t sleep all day. She went from the bed to the bathroom to the table, where she hardly ate, to the couch, and she was starting to fall asleep. Then she said the ‘life is bullshit’ comment.”
“She’s got a point,” I said.
“I started teasing her a little. I’d gone to the store when she was sleeping and bought her some treats, and we watched the Bills, and it turned into a nice day.”
I didn’t know what to say. He was determined to make sure that she had a few moments every day.
“She took care of me,” he said. “But I started thinking of what she asked me. I started wondering about when I figured out when life was shit.”
“It’s a battle,” I said. “It’s not all shit.”
“Ahh, I’m just in the dumps, man. She worked all her life. She gets to go out with dignity.”
I told my buddy about an episode of House.
“The patient asked House about the end, and he said, ‘It won’t be pretty. There’s pain and nastiness. It sucks!”
“I guess.”
“Enjoy the minutes,” I said. “You had fun Sunday. Most of the hours will be rough, but if she has a few good minutes...it’s better than her in a home, right?”
“She ain’t going!” He said.
“And that’s the part of life that ain’t shit,” I said. “That’s pretty awesome.”
He thought about that for a minute.
“You’re right,” he said. “She’s a good lady.”
“And you’re giving her dignity.”
My buddy nodded.
“Wish it was even a little fair,” he said. “But no one said it’s easy.”
“Definitely not easy.”
He went back to the computer.
“She likes Chinese food. Gonna’ pick some up on the way home.”
“You’re a good dude,” I said.
“I am,” he said. “I hate Chinese.”
We laughed.
“It ain’t fair.”
Well, it’s not his Mom he’s battling with as much as it is life that’s giving him trouble.
“She’s in her 80’s and her health isn’t great. We have to bring a nurse on for six hours a day, and me and my siblings are taking turns making her dinner. They voted to put her in a home. I said, ‘She ain’t going,’ so, she’s living with me.”
That’s a little rough...
...he works all day and then sits with his Mom, and she’s really struggling.
“Know what she asked me the other day?” He asked.
I shrugged.
“She asked me how old I was when I figured out that life is all bullshit.”
I laughed.
“She was serious! It was Sunday and she slept late. I kept checking on her, but she was snoring. I was worried. Finally, I got her up. She couldn’t sleep all day. She went from the bed to the bathroom to the table, where she hardly ate, to the couch, and she was starting to fall asleep. Then she said the ‘life is bullshit’ comment.”
“She’s got a point,” I said.
“I started teasing her a little. I’d gone to the store when she was sleeping and bought her some treats, and we watched the Bills, and it turned into a nice day.”
I didn’t know what to say. He was determined to make sure that she had a few moments every day.
“She took care of me,” he said. “But I started thinking of what she asked me. I started wondering about when I figured out when life was shit.”
“It’s a battle,” I said. “It’s not all shit.”
“Ahh, I’m just in the dumps, man. She worked all her life. She gets to go out with dignity.”
I told my buddy about an episode of House.
“The patient asked House about the end, and he said, ‘It won’t be pretty. There’s pain and nastiness. It sucks!”
“I guess.”
“Enjoy the minutes,” I said. “You had fun Sunday. Most of the hours will be rough, but if she has a few good minutes...it’s better than her in a home, right?”
“She ain’t going!” He said.
“And that’s the part of life that ain’t shit,” I said. “That’s pretty awesome.”
He thought about that for a minute.
“You’re right,” he said. “She’s a good lady.”
“And you’re giving her dignity.”
My buddy nodded.
“Wish it was even a little fair,” he said. “But no one said it’s easy.”
“Definitely not easy.”
He went back to the computer.
“She likes Chinese food. Gonna’ pick some up on the way home.”
“You’re a good dude,” I said.
“I am,” he said. “I hate Chinese.”
We laughed.
“It ain’t fair.”
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