3-13-2012

I don't know what was going on with Mom today.  I got there early, around 1:00.  Mom was sitting on the bench in the main activity area, and she smiled as soon as I walked in.


"Oh thank goodness you're here.  This is one of my daughters, now if I can find the other one."

I sat down beside her on the bench.  'What's going on, Mom?'

"Oh nothing. I just want to talk to my daughters, if you see them you need to tell them it is time to come home so they can at least take a shower."

'A shower? What for?'

"Well you know how bad they will smell after running around all day, especially doing what they're doing."

I truly had no idea what she was talking about.

"You can tell them I’m not mad at them, I just want to ask them to please come home and have a bath and clean clothes.  Then they can be all clean and you won’t have to worry about that for tomorrow."

I tried to change the subject.  'So what have you been doing all day, Mom?'

"Well, just sitting here watching them play games. I also worked 2 crossword puzzles and won both of them. Please tell them I’m not mad, I’d just like them to come home and refresh themselves, and you know I’m right.  It's not like I'm saying they can't go out or anything.  They should at least be clean."

'Who should be clean, Mom?'  "My daughters." 'Which daughters, Mom?'

"Paula and..wait ...you're Kim’s...she's here, and my other child I don’t know where she is.  I’d lend them money, but I don’t have any cash.  I'd just like to tell them to come back home.  I’m not going to scream at them, they’re running around the elevators getting all sweaty.  You can imagine how they smell by now.  They know where I am and they know which way to take to get here.  I just want to get them and go."

'Go where, Mom?  This is your home.  Do you want to go to your room?'

"At least you’ve talked to them.  That makes me feel better.  You can visit me at least so we can clean you up or hose you down or something like that.  If you see them…well, I’d like to know where Kenny is too."

'Kenny is at camp, Mom.' 

She looked surprised.  "My son is at camp friendship? I know we used to watch for him. Chuck and I did.  And he would show up after 3 months, and we would say 'I know where you've been.  It's getting dark outside.  It's time to come in'.  Well if you do see him, tell him 'why don’t you stop and see your mom? Its almost dark, and she likes to know where her children are."

I walked her back to her room.  She was positive for the most part today, just really out of it.  She thanked me for stopping by...and I think she kind of knew who I was.