Good Morning;
(Or a semi-reasonable facsimile thereof);
You are probably wondering WTF is with these 2 posts with the same title, and different dates. With the first one dated Monday and posted Wednesday and having no content.
You can thank the computer,(DELL), the Baltimore County Library computer network, the ISP(?),and/or the BLOGGER website. AS I clicked on the Publish button last night after writing the post, which I had started and saved on Monday, the library computer system sent out it's '5 minute warning' and placed the countdown timer box right in the middle of the screen, at the same time, the ISP was having connection issues, AND a message popped up from BLOGGER stating that there were 'publishing conflicts' and to hit my 'back button' and try again......Well at that point everything went to hell and my whole friggin' post disappeared and cannot be resurrected.(I am going to start adding the name "Lazarus" to all my post titles as a precautionary measure.....couldn't hoit..........LOL). So, I'll try again..........
Anyone who travels Reisterstown Rd. along the 'Main St. Street scape' of Pikesville in the mid morning has most likely noticed the daily scenario of a 'little old man' out for a walk with his wife or daughter. This is one particular example that I have seen EVERY day, except in the most extreme cases of inclement weather, for the past 2 and 1/2 years, at least. The gentleman I am talking about is short, slight, and hunched over from the shoulders, and looks to be in his 80s(?). He walks with quick, short little shuffle steps and is nearly ALWAYS accompanied by a woman who could be his daughter or his wife, (she is somewhat younger..60s ??),and on many occasions by an aide, attendant, or nurse, but 99 times out of 100, by the same woman. On weekends they are frequently joined by a man who could be son or son-in-law. They seem to be Russian and although we have a nodding relationship that includes the exchange of 'good mornings' and once or twice the younger man has asked me which way the others were walking when he showed up in the middle of their walk, I have not spoken to them to find out the backstory. The older man seems to be affected by either Alzheimers or just simply old age, with a bit of a befuddled look on his face at times, and the tone of voice the others use when speaking to him has that character of extreme patience and tolerance used in such situations. But the overtones and undertones of love and affection are also clearly heard.I know they walk at least form Sudbrook Rd. to Old Court Rd., and back, in front of the State Police Hdqtrs. and the Library, and where the now closed Starbucks used to be. I have never seen or heard any impatience or frustration expressed in anyway, just care, concern, and compassion.
And I wonder, could I do that? Would I be able to have the strength and will to be there every day, without fail? I hope that I am never put to the test, for my loved ones sake as well as my own selfishness, and I pray that if ever it comes down to it, I am given the fortitude and empathic ability to remove myself from the equation, and step up to the plate. It is not the short sudden crisis I am talking about, but the long term, day after day loyalty in a known eventuality, with an inevitable outcome that I worry about.
An example of love at the other end of the spectrum can be seen on most Sundays in the small park across from the library and next to the Md. State Troopers Assoc. bldg. at the corner of Church Ln. and Reisterstown Rd., a mother and her young, (11 yr. old..?..) son sit out in nice weather and watch people and cars and trucks passing by. The boy is in some way mentally and physically and/or emotionally disabled, possibly autistic, what used to be called retarded, (and I use the term only for the image it evokes..NOT derogatorily!). He gets excited at certain vehicles and colors, and when people wave or say hello, and his mom encourages and praises his reactions and laughter and his attempts to communicate his feelings with love , patience, and good humor. Being his mother she obviously has a greater understanding of his gestures and vocalizations, but I still get some sense of his feelings and emotions, even from across the street as I am sitting on the bench pretending to read. His occasional frustrations at being unable to say what he means are outnumbered by the more joyous exclamations and actions. I feel that this is due to the gentle coaching and loving patience shown by his mom, who never shows anger or meanness, even when she has to sometimes chastise him or restrain his exuberance.
And Again, I wonder..... is there anyone out there who would do this for me, if I were unable to care for myself??
And if you wonder what brought on the introspection, on Tuesday night I was in the Giant and looked across the store and noticed my eldest daughter, Jennifer, at the checkout. I looked around for strollers or car seats and realized she was by herself, and I remembered what she told me at the Fair, she finally got her license, 11 years after she was entitled to...that's a long time with a learners permit.....lol. I walked over and tentatively offered greetings, and they were returned with a smile, so I walked out to the car with her and we stood in the parking lot for 45 minutes and talked, catching up a bit on events of the past year that we had not talked. We did not notice the time until her phone started to go crazy, it was Tom, who was home with my grand kids, wondering where she was (Sorry Tom....lol).
We left after checking and confirming phone numbers and open ended invitations to call one another. It was a pleasant and much needed surprise to see and talk to her alone, the serendipitous meeting with her and Tom and Edward and Devin at the fair with Rachel seeming to break through the chill and ice that had separated us. And like the spring thaw at the end of a hard winter, a slow melting must be expected before the ice jam breaks away and things flow freely and unabated.......I have patience......
Okay, that's all for now. I've got more, but let's see if this will publish........lol.
Later............Dave
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