It was just enough time to take a nap in my room (527) and recharge my cell phone. Dinner time was just around corner so I decided to go down to the T floor (Terrace) about 4:15pm. One of the elevators was still out, so I knew it would be a mad rush to get down to dinner. I waited by the elevator until one of the orderlies to set the elevator to T. It is protection for the Alzheimer patients on the floor, and the only way I could get off the floor. When the door opened there was only one wheel chair patient in the elevator. By the time we got to the terrace floor there were 4 chairs and 4 orderlies and myself.
Guess What? You were right. I was the on male on the elevator and the ladies were making google eyes at me. We continue to make the trip on the elevator a local, and stopped at every floor. By the time we got to the terrace floor all the women were singing and carrying on. And somehow I became the leader of the pack. I told them how lovely they all looked. You should have seen all the smiles.
We file off the elevator in single file, and by the time we got to the dining hall it looked like a wheel chair parade, singing and laughter throughout the hallway. What a scene. It reminded me of those Carnival Cruise commercials. With Characters all on board like Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Mi Mi on the Drew Carey Show. A lot of makeup, I think it was just for me. Now you know my head is getting big. Too bad my cell phone was still charging. I would have loved to take snap shots of it. It was a “Kodak picture perfect moment”.
Anyway, our dinner choices were roasted chicken with rice pilaf and squash or corn beef and cabbage with a dinner roll.
Since I needed an early departure to the hospital, I was the first to arrive at the table. Andre, was looking dapper with his uniform on. He greeted me with a friendly “hello” and asked me what I would like to drink. This time I wanted to try something different. So, I asked for a Shirley Temple. He said “We have no Shirley Temple’s here, but there are a lot of other women here. I guess he is too young to get the joke. So I went with my usual, diet coke. While Andre was getting the coke, Margaret arrived. We chatted a little bit while waiting for Caroline to show up. Now the dining hall was getting full and I knew if I did not place my order soon, I would loose the opportunity to eat before the Pharmakinetics studies (PK). So Margaret and I placed our orders. Margaret got the corn beef and cabbage as I would have guess. I on the other hand, wanted the breast of chicken.
It was now about 5:10 pm and I needed to leave at 5:25 pm. So, as we got our entrees, I began to shovel in the food as politely as I could without choking on the rice pilaf. Our conversation was almost nonexistent. I was almost finished when Caroline arrived. She was quite surprised that we started without her. Then Margaret reminded her that I had to leave for the hospital quite soon. Caroline placed her order (dark chicken, legs and thighs).
She then pulled out a post-it with her address on it. Margaret said she had forgotten. I said “don’t worry, I have a pen. You can write your address on the other side”. And she did. Meanwhile the time was 5:16 pm. So, Caroline haled down Andre like she was haling a cab in New York City. I could not believe the lung on that woman. She yelled out “Andre! Andre! Andre! Jim has to catch a ride to the hospital soon and he can’t leave without having the German chocolate cake.” The whole room turned and looked at me. I just smiled. She had become protective of me. What A friend.
I finished the cake with no time to spare.
We said our goodbyes, and that we would stay in touch. I then rushed to the lobby to catch my ride to the hospital.
To be continued…..
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