Monthly Archives: July 2005

“I just want to be quiet.”

“No, I’ll, I’ll.  This is comfortable.”

(Heather: Mother, why are you crying?)

“The tomcats.  They came in on our line. When they came in, I cried right away.  I was pretty close to them.  I thought they were going to bite me. I was afraid of tomcats.”

(Heather: That must have been scary when you were a child. Mother, do you know why you are sad now?)

“I’m not sad.  I’m happy when I think of all the things I remember –running in the field–running and kicking up in the air as high as I could.”

(Obviously, Audrey’s lack of her own mobility was what she longed for the most as she aged.)

(A large shopping bag was on Audrey’s tray table.)

“We’re first in line. We will get shot, Heather.”

(Heather: No, Mother. That is just Deardra’s and my shopping bags. These bags are so beautiful that Deardra likes to leave them with you. With your artistic eye you appreciate beauty.

(Another example of Audrey continuing to converse with me but often would not find the correct words to express her thoughts.)

“Elegance” (Audrey read out loud the elegantly scripted word, Elegance, on the print.)

“Do you have any candy? I want my candy put on my tongue.”

(Heather:  No, I do not have any, but I’ll write it down and go to the store when I leave.)

“I want it now. I’m so sorry.  I didn’t want you to write it down. I’m so sorry.”

(That’s O.K. Mother.  I want to get the candy for you and the nurse told me of the best candy for you to have.)

“Heather, I want you to remember to keep our family peaceable. It has to be worked on.  I want you to make sure everybody stays friendly with each other.  I know you know and understand how things can get. It is sad to see how it can get.  You got to keep them all in line.”

“Vaughn, he’s the baby of the family.  I want to make sure he gets his place.  Don’t pamper. Keep him on a level ground.  He is very emotional.  More than the rest of the family.  Make sure he doesn’t get out of bounds with emotion.”

“Well, try to keep Deardra’s feet on ground.  She likes to shoot up.  She needs to keep her feet on the ground.”

“Ernie is very level headed.  He is a good husband for Crystal.  He keeps her where she belongs.  You can go along with that to make sure that is how she wants it.”