14 July 2013

Sunday late afternoon

Another example of how we are all connected:

but we just don't see it

Today is warm and very humid. ( 85 degrees, humidity is at 55%, feels like 90 degrees), yesterday, not so bad. It was still warm but not as humid. The staff decided that we could tolerate a little outside time out of the front door, under the awning that leads to the entrance. We were out of the sun and even though warm, not too many of us chair users were going to work up a sweat. It was nice to get outdoors for a while. The balmy breezes slipping over exposed skin with the light kiss that makes being inside four walls a distant memory.

Suddenly I was remembering early summer decades ago, sailing on a small inland lake, not far from here. A Sunfish wet sailer, low to the waterline, I was reading the wind on the lake ahead, steering out of the wind shadow toward the ruffles on the water. Feeling the breeze slip around me as the boat moved into the stronger wind. The boat picking up speed. Wondering is the wind really pushing the boat or is the act of the sail creating a slight vacuum on the forward part of the sail so the the wind is creating a suction which is really pulling the boat forward gently with a steady drawing motion. For a while I could imagine the wind flowing over the sail, only to curl back and move the boat as if with allure. I could almost hear the breeze beckon to the boat, “Come to the end of the lake, I have much to show you there.”

As the wind shifted slightly, like one would if they were anticipating something new and exciting coming up next, I could feel the boat begin to move forward, as if....

My reverie was interrupted by squabbling, not from the birds at the feeder, rather some of my cohorts clustered under the awning out of the sun. it seems that one person, bored as she is, habitually fills the gaps between the conversation of others with a play by play of everything going on around us. This running commentary has the same tone as the play by play announcers of some sporting event exhibits; blah, blah, blah, insert excited chatter here, blah, blah, Oh my God!!, even more over the top chatter, much as Chicken Little is known for.... blah, blah, blah

Suddenly from a stoic elder lady, who herself is using a wheelchair who erupts with, “Shut up!”

The one with verbal diarrhea cleverly comes back with, “Oh yeah, come make me.”

Oh boy, of all the words to pick, the mouth flapper reaches way down into the second grade school yard repertoire and fwtches up that one.

Oh well, simultaneously another woman who is in her early nineties, is very hard of hearing and mostly spends her entire day in her wheelchair is carrying on a running monologue with someone from years ago, that we will never know. I say monologue because her silent partner is never interacted with. All we get to see is how angry our compatriot is as she hurls invectives at the unseen foe. Complete with bursts of bravado and promises of getting even. Threats spew forth from the diminutive, frail woman bent on revenge.

Someone else assumes the two who first began the verbal aggression were in some way making statements to and about the ninety year old who is now shouting to the heavens, in her thin voice that she will have retribution. This crowd quieter misses the point by explaining the ninety year old doesn't mean anything by all of this, she's nuts! She isn't talking to them anyway.

At this extra input the two would be wheelchair pugilists suddenly join forces and tell the crowd quieter to butt out, its none of her business anyway. 9With all of this shouting, how could it not be?) Yet another resident tries to explain that the crowd quieter was mistaken and she was only trying to help. Soon everyone is in the melee trying to put their version onto why this has erupted. Asi said, squabbling, plain and simple.

Me? I'm pleasantly staying clear of this, wondering if the uproar might calm down once I get back into the building, hopefully to my room? Oh well, for a while, I enjoyed being out of the room all day. A small while. It just couldn't last. Everyone forgot why we were there. I am not too sure how long the effect will last. Maybe next time I will load the iPod with some easy laid back classical music, stash it in my pocket, put the earbuds in my ears and enjoy the outdoors under cover of polite sonic conditions.

I dunno, could work.

No picture today. I had my camera, but I was told the facility's interpretation of HIPPA laws preeclude such actions.