HAPPY DAYS

There are days I just love The Home. There is nothing special about today, but this is one of the days. Maybe it’s just because I’m happy. Nothing special happened, there was no windfall – I am still broke, my apartment looks like a cyclone hit it. I brought everything back from the Bazaar and just dumped it. I am starting to put things away as my oldest granddaughter is coming tomorrow to help me clean. I just hate cleaning and she could use the month. However, she is so busy I have to work around her schedule. No problem. I can live in a pigsty.

Coffee was terrific this morning. Not the taste, the people. So much laughter! It seemed like everyone was hitting on all cylinders and cracking jokes one after the other. I would repeat them, but then I can’t remember them. They are really just wisecracks.

I have a namesake here that has many problems. He is one who should be in a care facility. He is not allowed to cook, as he may not turn the stove off. He may not microwave, as he may never get the right setting. He knows every bus route in the area and tells me where he is going using bus route numbers. I have no idea what he is talking about. I have not been on a bus since I was seventeen. I don’t even know this area very well yet. Anyway, Mr. Namesake always has questions and things to report. We are having another inspection. This one from one of the many lenders with money tied up here. He is a nervous wreck about what may happen. He need not be concerned. A church group comes one a week to make sure his apartment is respectable; He is OK, but still struggles.

He has had medications changed and he worries about that. These concerns are valid. He may not remember to take his medication. While he has many notes to remind him of things, he may not remember to read the notes. Today I heard all about his search for a girlfriend. He has a buddy who wants to set him up with the girlfriend of another guy. Are you following this? He doesn’t know if he should. I suggested that might not be wise, as the boyfriend may want to find you and pound on you. He was surprised. Do you think he will? What I know about his friends, I am sure he will.

I like my namesake. It is hard to have a conversation with him, but he is an innocent soul who has been mistreated much of his life and lived on the street far too long. He is the kind of guy that is hard to know where to slot him and how to really help him. He manages but gets nervous about new things. I told him that is normal. Most of us do. Do you. Yes, me too. He was surprised. I have tension all the time and have had most of my life. I’ve had so much that I tend to think tension is normal. The worst part is I have no reason to be tense, at least not that I can figure. Maybe he and I are more similar than I think.