A Night at Needham

During one of the weekly City Tours – this particular trip to remember the Halifax Explosion (Dec 6, 1917 – 9:05 a.m.) - we drove around the city so we would eventually go along the harbor from Bedford Basin towards the Pier. 

 

I told the story of that 'dark day' and pointed out the place the explosion occurred and then commented on the help we received from Boston.  As we drove around I pointed out the school that still has blinds pulled in memory of the children saved on that fateful day.  Then we drove back to the North End and visited Fort Needham where a monument with bells sits as a memorial to the Explosion.  This is in front of the Hydrostone area of Halifax (buildings built to withstand another such explosion and still standing beautifully and strong today as 96 years ago). 

 

Ms P (usually quite quiet) piped up and asked if she could tell a story.  She commented that she lived nearby and a lady was in child labour and she was making very scary noises.  Ms P got in contact with two friends and to avoid the scary noises they spent the night on Fort Needham hill (a spooky spot today). 

 

She still giggles about it.

Ms P has very bad eye sight and has told me often as she gets into the van how "pretty soon she won't be able to", or "I think the van it getting taller" to which we both smile and attempt to find a way to lower it.  One thing she never misses to repeat is "don't get old - it ain't for sissies"

As bad as her eye-sight is she still visits Sobeys and on her own finds the few things she needs.

[During this Easter Season (2016) think of a senior near you and remember them in your prayers.]

Short and Sweet

Ms L is an educated and cultured resident at the residence.  There is never a day that she does not take advantage of the chauffeur service.  She is a small statured lady with spunk and she still attends a weekly Art Appreciation course at the NS Art Gallery.  I take her to her weekly hairdressing appointment as well as many trips to Lawton’s or second hand stores where she enjoys looking for novel items (sometimes buying but often not).  When I talk to Ms L I have to raise my voice but while looking at her she moves her mouth mimicking my words.

Ms L has children and one of her daughters lives in Australia and is often in Gaza working as a journalist.  She is spoken of with great pride by her mother.

No matter what may be on her mind, or if she is cold or hot, feeling bad or good, she will always comment on the “nice day” – what a great attitude.

In 2015 Ms L was assigned to an extended care suite and requires a care worker as her dementia has advanced to a dangerous state of confusion. 

 

I miss the ole Ms L.  I seldom see her now other than within the halls of the building but she continues to be quite the lady and dressed to the nines.  If the weather looks bad she gives me "permission to go home" and giggles.

[Ms L has a look very similar to what my mother will look like should she make it to 90 years of age (elegantly dressed, proper manners and the like), so I enjoyed our trips together for that very reason J)

Drama-mean

As you can imagine, with 170 people in the residence and all at a different class, this can lend itself to a rather interesting dynamic as the community blends during some functions or people tend to get to know each other better (or worse).

This became quite clear the other day when after several weeks of obvious flirtation that something had to come to a head.

Ms J and Mr J have been together a very long time.  Ms J is paralyzed now so Mr J tends to be backing off and not as attentive to her.  One can see why this might happen based on human need but at the same time Ms J is a stage in her fragile life where his attention is needed even more now.

Having said that, Mr J has been quite obvious at each musical function by dancing with any lady willing.  Lately he tends to lean towards one particular lady and in front of his watching wife.  She is feeling bad and angry.

So with this background let me tell you of an interesting confrontation displaying pure drama.

Ms J had an appointment made and was waiting patiently but with obvious agitation as she wanted to get out of the building.  Ms K was sitting on an opposite side of the lobby waiting for her friends to come down for lunch.  [May I say here that Ms K is a woman that minces no words and has a tendency to take on a leadership role in a group.]  So as the hour arrived I motioned to Ms J that it was time to go and she started her way to the door,  This takes her a quite a bit of time based on her disability.  I was standing at the door to open it when she got closer but she walked by me and approached Ms K (a friend of the lady whom Mr J has been flirting with by-the-way). 

Ms J looked at Ms K.. and said with a firm angry tone "stay away from my husband!!".  Well you could have heard a pin drop in the lobby at this point as everyone thought someone may experience a stroke during what could soon be a heated discussion.  Ms K looked Ms J in the eye and said "I have never and am not and never will look for your husband.. NO, NO, NO!, it was not me" 

Ms J was not sure if Ms K was telling her the truth but based on the reaction she turned and made her way to the door to go to the van.  Her poor care worker was unsure at this point how to handle this, but as Ms J got between the doors and expressed her anger I assured her that we needed to go for the little drive to her appointment which would help her relax.

When she got into the van, she soon calmed down, and one could see that her anger was on the fine line to sadness.  Her appointment was to check her eyes for glaucoma - she feared it tremendously - and this must have fueled her anger even more.  She could not see the lady who was attracting her husband, and the last thing she needed was to not see physically.  This must have sickened her.  I told her I would shoot up a prayer and she said she was staying positive going in.

A couple of hours later I received the call to pick up Ms J and when I arrived I kept it light and asked her "so what is the verdict?" to which she smiled and said "I do not need to see this doctor for six months" - she was fine.

The drama continues as you can imagine and I do not see Ms J downstairs as she can not stand the looks and the atmosphere.  This a sad state of "affairs".

[In a place that has over 160 people, tempers can flare - and it can start over class, culinary preference, and couples.  Such a communal  atmosphere is interesting to watch]