JonB_in_Glencoe
11-08-2015, 03:02 PM
Last week, I needed to travel to northern MN to help care for my 88 year old Dad (there are many things he can't do for himself, that my 85 year old Mom attends to), while My Mom had a pacemaker implanted...there were complications that kept her in the hospital longer (6 days), than what would be normal. Greatfully, she is doing very well now.
I wrote to my journal.
While I was up north, earlier this week, I witnessed something I kind of forgot about...
During a moment, when my Dad didn't seemingly need anything for a while, near sunset and the weather was about perfect for Minnesota, I thought, I should be outside enjoying this little slice of heaven. I wonder out to the courtyard patio on the west side of this low income/senior housing complex that mt parents have lived in for the last decade. I thought I'd be alone and able to read the newspaper. I thought wrong.
I soon found out that this is where the smokers hung out. I sat down at the far edge of the patio, leaving the smokers to their smoke. One of them spoke out in a wise crack way (who I later learn, is named Eric), some joke about the chair I was sitting in, was the chair were George pees in. I said, something like, No worries, I've sat in worse. Then his girlfriend? says "Hey, you're Ronae's son, aren't you ...How's she doing". I said yes, and I fill them in on most of the details and continuing on with more details than I should, that has always been one of my major character flaws, every since I was a kid.
She, then said, "Your Mom isn't afraid of anything". I didn't really grasp what she was saying. At that point, I don't know if I said anything or not, but she and the other smokers, there were three others here at that moment, started telling stories of my Mom and her dealing with others at the housing complex ...basically saying she doesn't take "abuse" from anyone, and often steps in when someone else if being treated poorly.
In my experience, the smoking crowd is usually the tough crowd, whether it was back in high school or the several places I've worked. I've never messed with the smokers, they were always the group that took no "abuse" from anyone, without dealing it back in spades. I'm not sure if this is universal, but what I just heard from these people, seemed like quite a large complement to my Mom.
After hearing all this, I recalled a memory I had long forgot. When I was a teenager, but not yet having a drivers license, I took a job with a guy doing blacktop driveway coating jobs. I don't recall exactly how I got connected with him, but it was apparent he likes to hire a young local kid, to help his credibility to sell his service. Now I'm not sure if this fellow deserves the title of "fly-by-night"...But after working a weekend with him and being promised $50 a day, and I'd be paid on Tuesday, then didn't get paid, it sure seemed like it. Well, the following Friday night, this fellow goes to the local bank to cash several checks through the bank's drive through. Mom was at the helm. She asked if he was the fellow that hired her son, Jon. He said yeah, and Mom shorted him $100 (risking her job mind you), and tells him something like, 'thanks for hiring Jon for that weekend and paying him so well'. I was told he didn't put up much fuss.
Then, when I was about to leave town on Wednesday, Dad said to Mom, something about the laundry service that is offered here at the complex. I should now point out, because of the pacemaker my Mom had implanted, the hospital put a double sling to hold her left arm from being moved in such a way that could pull the wires out of her heart, and that sling needs to stay on 24/7 til the next Dr appt. The sling would make it difficult to do laundry, as I believe the machines are stacked, and putting clothes in/or taking them out of the top machine would be tough for my short Mom. So after Dad's suggestion, Mom got a 'gleem' in her eye and snapped back something like, those bloodsuckers get $20 a load, I'm not gonna pay them that for something I can do for $1.25. Now while my parents are thrifty, I don't believe that was what this was about, because my Mom rarely gets "this type" of excited over saving a few bucks, I think she holds some animosity toward those who overly benefit from those who are in a situation who just can't do for themselves.
Yep, Mom isn't afraid of anything.
I wrote to my journal.
While I was up north, earlier this week, I witnessed something I kind of forgot about...
During a moment, when my Dad didn't seemingly need anything for a while, near sunset and the weather was about perfect for Minnesota, I thought, I should be outside enjoying this little slice of heaven. I wonder out to the courtyard patio on the west side of this low income/senior housing complex that mt parents have lived in for the last decade. I thought I'd be alone and able to read the newspaper. I thought wrong.
I soon found out that this is where the smokers hung out. I sat down at the far edge of the patio, leaving the smokers to their smoke. One of them spoke out in a wise crack way (who I later learn, is named Eric), some joke about the chair I was sitting in, was the chair were George pees in. I said, something like, No worries, I've sat in worse. Then his girlfriend? says "Hey, you're Ronae's son, aren't you ...How's she doing". I said yes, and I fill them in on most of the details and continuing on with more details than I should, that has always been one of my major character flaws, every since I was a kid.
She, then said, "Your Mom isn't afraid of anything". I didn't really grasp what she was saying. At that point, I don't know if I said anything or not, but she and the other smokers, there were three others here at that moment, started telling stories of my Mom and her dealing with others at the housing complex ...basically saying she doesn't take "abuse" from anyone, and often steps in when someone else if being treated poorly.
In my experience, the smoking crowd is usually the tough crowd, whether it was back in high school or the several places I've worked. I've never messed with the smokers, they were always the group that took no "abuse" from anyone, without dealing it back in spades. I'm not sure if this is universal, but what I just heard from these people, seemed like quite a large complement to my Mom.
After hearing all this, I recalled a memory I had long forgot. When I was a teenager, but not yet having a drivers license, I took a job with a guy doing blacktop driveway coating jobs. I don't recall exactly how I got connected with him, but it was apparent he likes to hire a young local kid, to help his credibility to sell his service. Now I'm not sure if this fellow deserves the title of "fly-by-night"...But after working a weekend with him and being promised $50 a day, and I'd be paid on Tuesday, then didn't get paid, it sure seemed like it. Well, the following Friday night, this fellow goes to the local bank to cash several checks through the bank's drive through. Mom was at the helm. She asked if he was the fellow that hired her son, Jon. He said yeah, and Mom shorted him $100 (risking her job mind you), and tells him something like, 'thanks for hiring Jon for that weekend and paying him so well'. I was told he didn't put up much fuss.
Then, when I was about to leave town on Wednesday, Dad said to Mom, something about the laundry service that is offered here at the complex. I should now point out, because of the pacemaker my Mom had implanted, the hospital put a double sling to hold her left arm from being moved in such a way that could pull the wires out of her heart, and that sling needs to stay on 24/7 til the next Dr appt. The sling would make it difficult to do laundry, as I believe the machines are stacked, and putting clothes in/or taking them out of the top machine would be tough for my short Mom. So after Dad's suggestion, Mom got a 'gleem' in her eye and snapped back something like, those bloodsuckers get $20 a load, I'm not gonna pay them that for something I can do for $1.25. Now while my parents are thrifty, I don't believe that was what this was about, because my Mom rarely gets "this type" of excited over saving a few bucks, I think she holds some animosity toward those who overly benefit from those who are in a situation who just can't do for themselves.
Yep, Mom isn't afraid of anything.