NURTURE/DSTROY
Episode 7 Nurture/Destroy
As the elevator rumbled up and away, Lois jabbed at the call button and, a true fan of mystery movies, watched the dial to see at which level the thief stopped. The lift lumbered to the second floor and then the third.
Knowing it was fruitless, Lois grumbled until it finally returned. Lois entered and tried to press the up button, but a large, blue- veined hand held the door open for four more people ─ three with walkers ─ to crowd inside. Stuck in the back, Lo had no view down the corridors at either stop. At last she sank from third to second floor and shuffled to #231. The puppy purse thief had gotten away.
“At least I know you’re a resident. I’ll find you,” Lois muttered as she shifted from walker to rocker. “I’ll find you.” As she nodded into a nap that she didn’t want and knew would interfere with tonight’s sleep, Lois’s thoughts drifted to Ada’s peculiar reaction to the news of her son’s upcoming wedding.
The man whose curled back imprisoned his chin against his chest was already seated for breakfast when Lois arrived.
“Mr. Archer, good morning.”
Tom bent at the waist in greeting. Lois glimpsed a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. “You saw the wayward ‘puppy.’”
“How did you know?”
“Sunny Valley’s a motley collection of people, but our grapevine is first class.”
“So you know who has the purse? She’s done this before?”
Tom tilted to look up at her the best he could.
“You’re not a gossip, are you?”
“Peace here requires a lot of tolerance. We are human.”
Little Seth came running to her. “Auntie Lo! Did you find my puppy?”
Gil’s Gladys pulled the little blond boy gently away, but Lois eased herself into one of the benches off the foyer and beckoned for the child to come into her arms. They talked a moment and then Lois rummaged through her tote bag for her heavyset keys.
“Will you find my apartment key for me, please, big boy?”
The child was soon enraptured poking at every nook and cranny available at his height.
“Glad, what is it? Now don’t pretend with me. Ada?”
Gladys shook her head, eyes brimming.
“Let’s walk in the courtyard.”
As Seth checked each flower with the tip of a key, Gladys pointed discreetly let her grandson. “His daddy. Possibly CA. Gil so wishes it was him instead.”
“Or me,” Lois agreed under her breath. “I can’t see worth a spec, can’t hear half, and can’t work. What’s the point?”
“Oh, Lois, I’m sorry to burden you. I know you’re torn apart being in this place. I do wish you’d come back to the farm and stay with us.”
“And know I’m a burden? No, dear one, thank you, but we’re all better off with me here with my own kind.”
“No one is kinder than you, Lois.”
Lo’s mouth dropped open. “Bossy,” she protested.
“Loving.”
As the elevator rumbled up and away, Lois jabbed at the call button and, a true fan of mystery movies, watched the dial to see at which level the thief stopped. The lift lumbered to the second floor and then the third.
Knowing it was fruitless, Lois grumbled until it finally returned. Lois entered and tried to press the up button, but a large, blue- veined hand held the door open for four more people ─ three with walkers ─ to crowd inside. Stuck in the back, Lo had no view down the corridors at either stop. At last she sank from third to second floor and shuffled to #231. The puppy purse thief had gotten away.
“At least I know you’re a resident. I’ll find you,” Lois muttered as she shifted from walker to rocker. “I’ll find you.” As she nodded into a nap that she didn’t want and knew would interfere with tonight’s sleep, Lois’s thoughts drifted to Ada’s peculiar reaction to the news of her son’s upcoming wedding.
The man whose curled back imprisoned his chin against his chest was already seated for breakfast when Lois arrived.
“Mr. Archer, good morning.”
Tom bent at the waist in greeting. Lois glimpsed a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. “You saw the wayward ‘puppy.’”
“How did you know?”
“Sunny Valley’s a motley collection of people, but our grapevine is first class.”
“So you know who has the purse? She’s done this before?”
Tom tilted to look up at her the best he could.
“You’re not a gossip, are you?”
“Peace here requires a lot of tolerance. We are human.”
Little Seth came running to her. “Auntie Lo! Did you find my puppy?”
Gil’s Gladys pulled the little blond boy gently away, but Lois eased herself into one of the benches off the foyer and beckoned for the child to come into her arms. They talked a moment and then Lois rummaged through her tote bag for her heavyset keys.
“Will you find my apartment key for me, please, big boy?”
The child was soon enraptured poking at every nook and cranny available at his height.
“Glad, what is it? Now don’t pretend with me. Ada?”
Gladys shook her head, eyes brimming.
“Let’s walk in the courtyard.”
As Seth checked each flower with the tip of a key, Gladys pointed discreetly let her grandson. “His daddy. Possibly CA. Gil so wishes it was him instead.”
“Or me,” Lois agreed under her breath. “I can’t see worth a spec, can’t hear half, and can’t work. What’s the point?”
“Oh, Lois, I’m sorry to burden you. I know you’re torn apart being in this place. I do wish you’d come back to the farm and stay with us.”
“And know I’m a burden? No, dear one, thank you, but we’re all better off with me here with my own kind.”
“No one is kinder than you, Lois.”
Lo’s mouth dropped open. “Bossy,” she protested.
“Loving.”
Labels: cancer diagnosis "puppy" thief gets away retirement home grapevine
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