Daily Archives: April 17, 2013

Daily Prompt: Unknown Caller

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English: Tomahawk Truck Stop at Interstate 76 ...

English: Tomahawk Truck Stop at Interstate 76 exit 16 in Adams County, Colorado. Facility includes Shell gasoline, Blimpie Subs and Biscuits family restaurant. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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You receive a call from an unexpected person. Who is it, and what is the conversation about? Go!

Shelly  was weary.She tries really hard to stay uplifted but some days it just doesn’t work too well. She worked two part-time jobs and in between volunteered at a local community center for Senior Citizens.

She enjoyed working there even if she didn’t make a penny. Her grandmother went there often and she was able to help others as well as visit her family. One of the jobs she worked at was a very nice family style restaurant.

She loved it there because she had so many regulars and they made her feel like a part of their families when she waited on them. The tips were great also. They helped to put the food on her table after she paid the bills.

Her other job was hell though. It was the only job she could find at the time that fit in with her schedule. It was night at the truck stop out on the main  highway. From talking to her I don’t think she realized what type of customers she was going to be dealing with.

Of course there were many kind ones. They would come in and eat and drink cups of coffee. They would tell her about their wives and kids back home and how he couldn’t wait to get back home to them.

But the others, they made her stomach churn. They came in and smelled like open highways. They didn’t bother to shower first. Just to stand next to them to take their orders was too much some days.

They were rude and they took advantage of times where they could pinch her behind or make raw remarks that were too sexual for her liking. But she needed the job. It was this or maybe be thrown out of her apartment for lack of payment.

Shelly kept this routine up for months and then one day she went to her volunteer job and her grandma wasn’t there. She asked around to some of the other volunteers, have you seen Mrs. Miller? Do you know if she is coming today? Have you heard anything about why she isn’t here?

No one seemed to have any answers for her. The day proceeded and she was eventually home doing some work around the house and thinking about supper when the terrible phone call came in.

“Is this Shelly?”

“Yes, who is this?”

“I’m the minister at your grandma’s church. Would you happen to be at home for a while? I would like to stop over and speak to you.”

Shelly said yes but her mind was racing. She hurried and tidied up her place and as she was finishing throwing clothes on her bed the doorbell rang.

The news hit her like a cold brick. Grandma, my grandma, oh my God, she is dead? No, she can’t be. I just saw her yesterday.

Shelly called off work that night. She should have gone in but she just couldn’t force herself to deal with those truckers in her state of mind. The truck stop was nice surprisingly and told her she could have a few days off, and of course with no pay.

The days moved forward although Shelly remained frozen in time. Her family restaurant employees sent her flowers. The funeral home viewings and funeral moved past Shelly while she seemed stuck in reverse.

After it was all over life had to go back to normal. She returned to the family restaurant  job she loved welcomed her back with open arms and lots of hugs and shared tears. She was given an easy section for one night. Her regulars had already heard of the news and brought her much comfort.

One of her customers told her that her tip was laying on the table and there was a napkin with a telephone number on it. She thanked him and walked over and picked both up. The note said I will be calling you tonight at 7:30, please be available.

She had no idea but tucked it into her apron. She finished her job and as she was going past the Senior Center she thought of her grandma and how she did not want to go back to that nasty job tonight.

At home she was anxiously awaiting the phone call. At the precise time the phone rang. It was the customer from the restaurant. The conversation went like this.

“I don’t know if you are aware of this but I am an attorney that speaks up for senior citizens. I have heard you speak so highly of your grandma I was curious to know if you would like to come in tomorrow morning and speak to me about a job. I can guarantee you full-time, good pay and health benefits”

“Yes, I will be there, what time would you like me to stop in.”………………

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Good Visit

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Main dining room

I was a little freaked when I went to visit him today and could not wake him. I realize he started a new medication for depression but it is one that is to take a few weeks to get in the body to work.

The aides were able t finally wake him and he had his shoes put on and helped into his chair. Off we went to the dining room. While  he was awake he was different from yesterday.

Instead of crying and arguing he smiled and said hi to every person he saw. We ordered our lunches and he chatted with me. It was nice to see this change. Are you sure Doctor, that this medication takes a long time to work?

Maybe he was just having a good day. There was a note waiting for me. When I read it, it said, My heart is aching for Al. I have never seen such a bad case of PD in my entire career life.

Wow, this note validated something inside of me. When I hear staff say that Al is just being obnoxious or being rude or mouthy, this brings a little inner peace to me. It is more the PD than it is Al. He can get mad like the rest of us but he is generally not rude and mouthy for no reason.

We ate our lunches and then he fell asleep. I woke him up and took him back to his room. He asked me to stay for a while which I did. I had him stretch out his legs in his recliner. I noticed that his feet were curled up towards his body and his knees would not straighten completely out.

I showed him  how to flex his legs explaining he might help some of his pain by this exercise. As soon as I said this off he went into drift land. I let him sleep a few minutes and then I woke him up and told him I was going to go home so he could rest. He looked up at me and smiled and waved bye.

All in all it was a good visit. I hate seeing him so groggy but I like not hearing oh my legs, oh the pain, it hurts so bad…………

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