Proud Peacock

Friday I went to see Al and he knew that I was going to be taking him out to lunch. I wasn’t sure what we were in for, because sometimes when I pick him up his legs hurt so much, we eat and then I take him back.

Today was different. When I picked him up, we went to his favorite eating spot. He talked to everyone he knew and even ones he didn’t. It still bothers me that some people try to brush him off, thinking how different he is. You know, we were taught to not talk to strangers when we were young. I don’t say anything, and I just let it go, but sit  back and watch how the uncomfortable strangers wiggles his distance from my brother. It makes me a little sad, but I know I am partial.

He ate very well and he was in pain, but he was choosing today, to over look it. Why? because he saw that a local chain store had hot wheel cars on sale. We went to that store next, and then he even asked to go to another store after that. He walked very slow, but he was steady. He had a good time, I am pretty sure.

I did not visit on Saturday, but yesterday, I did go to see him. I took him a meal deal from a drive-thru and when I popped in his room, he seemed a little down. I was almost wishing I would not have brought the food, but then he made a comment about what was in the bag.

He got up out of his recliner and we made our way down to the dining room. I sat beside him and pulled all the goodies out of the bag. We went ahead and ate our lunch, even though it was about twenty minutes too early for lunch.

As we were eating, the dining hostess stopped by to ask him for his menu choice. I didn’t think he would order anything since I had brought him a complete meal, but to my surprise he said, ” Did you know that this is my sister? She is my biological sister. We have another sister, but she isn’t very nice”. The hostess laughed and then Al said, ” This is really my sister! I am going to order a piece of cherry pie, and could you put some of that ice-cream on top of it? My sister is eating lunch with me. I want her to have some too”.

When the hostess left, I said, ” The food is for you bud, not for me. Are you sure you can eat all of this”? He shook his head yes. In about five minutes, the hostess came back with not one piece of pie but two. I made a comment that she didn’t need to do this, but she said, “He wants you to have it, and we try to please our patients”. I thanked her and Al smiled at me like a proud peacock.

When his eating mates came in and others stopped by, he repeated the entire story about who I was and that he had a half-sister who wasn’t very nice. He beamed during our visit. I could see the love for me through each of his words. I was a proud sister. I knew at that moment, that although I miss him terribly here at home, I had made the right decision for him. We are closer now than we ever were. The stress isn’t there when I visit. We talk, actually communicate with each other. He tells me his aches and pains. He tells me who comes in and what he won at bingo. We had a great time, and by the way, he did eat his whole meal plus his pie and part of mine. Geesh, I wonder, Will he have any room for supper?

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