Let me tell you about "True Love"

I have gone from Child Care to Adult Care. They are both extremely rewarding and I'm enjoying my new job a lot. It was really hard to go back to work after almost 4 years, but now that I'm back, it's working out really well.

At the moment, I have two clients I'm taking care of. The first is a couple, the man is 96 and the woman is 94. I fix them dinner and take them for a walk around their neighborhood, shop for them and take them to their doctor appointments. I have never seen anything like this couple. It is almost unbelievable. Before either of them does anything, they consult the other and ask that their significant other go first. With everything! They call each other Honey and sweetie. They, each of them, want the other to have the best piece of cake, the first drink of water, etc. The woman, as tiny and frail as she is, insist that she be the one to help him out of the chair. She does this by bracing herself and pulling until he stands up. Each time he stands up, he gives her a kiss and says.."Thank you love of my life." She says.."Yes darling, always."

Gaaaa! They have brought me to tears several times..

On Tuesdays, I take care of a man in his late 80"s. I water his orchard and wash his clothes. He won't let me do anything else. He mostly wants companionship. He will have me sit for almost the entire time I'm there sometimes, to listen to his stories. He is very intelligent and is a Scientist who invented several inventions. He's not making this up, I've seen the proof. He is a Millionaire and lives by the country club in my town.

He is also somewhat of a Mafia Guy. He grew up in New York, hung out with several sorts and went to all the clubs like the Copacabana. He hung out with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. He cusses like crazy and he is really a character.

This was our conversation today, and I'm not sugar coating it, LOL.



John---Dear, what are you doing?

Me---I'm cleaning up a little in your kitchen John.

John---Well stop and get your ass in here!

Me---I'm almost done, do you need something?

John---Yeah, I need you to get your ass in here.

Me---Ok, here I am, what do you need?

John---Nothing, sit down, I want to tell you a story.

Me--Ok, go ahead. (hoping he doesn't quiz me like he did after the last story)

John---I was married to the most wonderful woman, did I tell you she was a fashion Model with the top Modeling agency in New York?

Me---You sure did..

John---Well, after receiving money from my inventions, we moved out here and started our family. With our first child, I bought her a Mink coat. With the second child, a set of Waterford crystal. With the third child, this house, the Country Club and her Cadillac. Nothing and I mean nothing was too good for her. I would have bought her the Moon if I could.

Me---That's really nice John, she was a very beautiful woman. (She was gorgeous!)

John---You better believe it. Has your husband bought you any Waterford?

Me--No, not yet.

John---You tell him I'm gonna kick his ass if I ever come across him.

Me---Ah, it's ok John, that type of stuff really isn't important to me.

John---God Dam*#it, it doesn't matter, that jackass should still shower you with gifts like that, God Dam*#it!

Me---Do you need a drink of water John?

John---Has he ever given you a mink coat?

Me---(err, almost afraid to tell him no, a hit man might show up at my front door) No John, but I never wanted one.

John---Well, isn't that a bunch of Fu*#ing crap! What the hell kind of asshole is your husband? Go in my wifes closet and pick yourself out a Mink.

Me---No, that needs to go to your kids!

John---They've already come in here and done their picking, I'll do whatever the hell I want to with the rest, now get your ass in there and pick one out.

OMG......

The phone rings and he forgets what he asked, haha, I mean ordered me to do. Thank God.

He then proceeds to instruct me on how to can plums. He sat there and showed me step by step. I canned almost 6 freakin jars.

He also mentioned I must drive my asshole husband crazy because I had to keep asking questions. He wanted to know what my level of education was, hahahaha.

I just love this man, LOL

12:26 AM - 7/2/2008 - Postacomment

Hmmm, that 80+ year old man seems to be still by his sensses. So profit from it and let him change his last will. Offcourse i wil only be pleased with 50% of the profits it will bring you, afterall it's my idea. :-) lol

Nah, couple is nice but i wonder how good their memory still is.

Man alone just needs you for compagnion i guess. But then again, isn't that your job? :-)

logis - 1:50 AM - 7/2/2008

I can understand that you love this man : he is endearing in his macho behaviour! He feels probably lonely and is delighted to have such nice company.

readerwil - 3:56 AM - 7/2/2008

What a delightful update, Laurie...

The couple sound absolutely adorable, and the 80's man HILARIOUS !

I think I'd get a kick out of talkin' with him !

Happy to hear you are enjoying your work !

Cam - 6:27 AM - 7/2/2008

great - your work sounds really rewarding!

Chandramoon - 7:42 AM - 7/2/2008

Oh my god, I love that guy in his 80's! He would be fun to work for. Willie had the same type of temperment, but he had Alzheimer's and forgot he had money, he thought he was poor...haha

The couple just sounds precious, I think those kind of marriages are almost extinct these days.

lisalisabobisa - 8:50 AM - 7/2/2008

Wow what a character that man is! I bet he can be a challenge at times.
The couple sound very much like my in-laws. They were married 75 years!! My father in law passed away at age 93 :( I miss him a lot. My mother in law is 95 and is doing fairly well. I thought for sure she would give up after her hubby died but she has hung in there. She lives in an adult foster care home the other person that lives there is 103!!!!!!!
Kudos to you for taking on our seniors. It is something I could never do.

Nikkie - 9:10 AM - 7/2/2008

Both of your clients sound like they would be fun/nice to work for/with. Not too sure about the 80+ man, after all, since I am almost 72, might not like working for him. LOL Do his kids come to visit him often? I can't even imagine having money to go out and buy furs and crystal, not that I want either. I'm not a fur or crystal type person. Give me a nice wool coat and some plain ole glasses and I'm a happy camper. Afte all I don't have a huge dining room with a fancy table to use the crystal anyway.

Had my eyes dilated this morning and still can't see that well. Have a great time with your clients. Couple sounds wonderful. Wonder if they act any different when no ones around? LOL

Patty - 9:16 AM - 7/2/2008

I hope me and hubby are like that first couple when we get old!

That old guy sounds like a pistol! There were a few like that, that would come into the store. Didn't care how loud they spoke or what language they used, but you could tell they were just big soft teddy bears under all that gruff!

I'm glad you are liking your job!

littleMissConfused - 10:41 AM - 7/2/2008

What a great story Laurie. the couple sound precious. The man sounds like a character indeed . lol . I loooove the elderly :)

windy - 11:01 AM - 7/2/2008

What a wonderful job! I can see why you like it so much. Sheesh, Laurie, I got tears in my eyes reading about the couple. All I could think of was "what are they going to do when one of them dies???" That will be so difficult for the remaining one!

As for the guy, he utterly made me grin. I bet he has amazing stories to tell! I just chuckled all the way through the dialog!

DeeJay - 2:49 PM - 7/2/2008

What a fun read! Your story of the elderly couple brought tears to my eyes - how sweet for them to have been married that long and to still address each other with such beautiful terms of endearment.

And your gentleman sounds like he's a total hoot to work for! I'd love to hear some of his stories! What is the common protocol for you to follow, if he insists on gifting you with a mink or whatever in the future? Is there some clause in the paperwork that prevents you from accepting such generosities from the clients? You know, to protect both you & the client,,,

LadyVisine - 8:53 PM - 7/2/2008

Logis--Yeah, my job is whatever they need. Some just want companionship, they never have visitors. They get so lonely!

LauriesAsylum - 9:47 AM - 7/3/2008

Wil---He is very lonely. His wife died a year ago and his children don't live close, so he is all alone for most of the time. It's quite sad really.

LauriesAsylum - 9:48 AM - 7/3/2008

Cam---You would love this guy! He really is smart.(but crude, lol) The stories he's told me, wow!

LauriesAsylum - 9:51 AM - 7/3/2008

Chandra--It is, it makes having to go back to work worthwhile..:)

LauriesAsylum - 9:52 AM - 7/3/2008

Lisa---This guy cracks me up. He even told me about his penile implant and the story around that, LOL!

LauriesAsylum - 9:54 AM - 7/3/2008

Nikkie---You'd be surprised, you could do it..:)

I really like the elderly because they have so much knowledge and they love to share it. They've had this life and now they're getting close to the end of it and they are so grateful for every little bit of help.

LauriesAsylum - 9:57 AM - 7/3/2008

Patty---I'm not a fur person either..

Yes, the way they act around each other is for real. I walk right in each morning and they are usually in another room, like the bathroom for instance. I can hear them talking to each other, they don't know I've walked in. It's pure love and respect for one another, all the way!

LauriesAsylum - 10:01 AM - 7/3/2008

LMC---He really is a softy underneath... But, he also has a side that's a little scary. He probably was someone to be reckoned with when he was young!

LauriesAsylum - 10:03 AM - 7/3/2008

Windy---I do too, but they sure have some strange quirks, LOL. I'll have to blog about it sometime, haha.

LauriesAsylum - 10:04 AM - 7/3/2008

Deejay---They actually talk about what will happen if one of them dies. I don't think the other one will go shortly after.

If I'm in the bedroom talking to the wife, he'll come in 5 minutes later looking for her, telling her he misses her.

LauriesAsylum - 10:06 AM - 7/3/2008

Kimmi--- I would never have taken the Mink if it had gotten to that point. (thank goodness it didn't!) I would have thought of some excuse, but it did raise that question, so I need to find out what their policy is. This is the first time it's come up, but I'm sure with other clients, it will come up again!

Although, he was pretty stubborn, I'm not sure what excuse I could have use with him!

LauriesAsylum - 10:15 AM - 7/3/2008

When I worked in the nursing home, I served the elderly their meals. We had one old guy that didn't know he was in a nursing home and thought he was eating at a restaurant. He would insist on giving me and other workers a tip! It was against policy to keep it, so we would accept it graciously, then when he wasn't looking we would put it back in his room.

Maybe if he presses you again to take something you can just pretend to do it to make him happy....then put it back when he isn't watching....just let the company you work for know about this so there isn't any problems later. I can see other family members screaming foul play, if later there are things missing, and I'm sure other people in your predicament might not be as honest as to not take the things.....there are some creepy people out there that will take advantage of the elderly.

littleMissConfused - 10:45 AM - 7/3/2008

LMC---That would work if he had some confusion, but he's very alert for his age. He'd know I put it back, lol. It would certainly work for this other couple though.

I think I might just have to tell him it's against company policy and see if that works.

LauriesAsylum - 11:43 AM - 7/3/2008