He sat in the wheelchair, slump shouldered and old, looking bewildered and surprised at his new surroundings. The young man who wheeled him in stood at the counter to fill out the check-in paperwork. The old man's eyes looked as if he was no longer himself, just a stranger left in the body
that used to be his. He knew he used
to be somebody, but it was only shadowy memories that flitted across his mind,
quickly hiding away before he could fully remember them.
“Do you know how to get to Oakland?” He nearly shouted
the question at the man who had just entered.
“I’m so sorry, sir, I just moved here and I’m not sure
how to get anywhere.” The man looked around the room to see if anyone else knew
the answer.
“I will pay you good money if you can drive me to
Oakland. You just have to take me to the bank so I can get the money out. I
will make it worth your while. You can name your price.” The old man’s eyes lit
up as his wheeling and dealing ideas began to take shape.
“I’m sorry sir, but are you here alone? Isn’t there
anyone with you who can get you to Oakland? Is that where you live?” While the old man tried to remember where he lived,
the young man at the counter turned, quietly explaining to the room, “I’m his caregiver...he lives here in
Sacramento.”
He brought the paperwork over for the old man to sign
“Do you know me?” the old man asked the caregiver. “Can
you take me to Oakland?”
The young man, who could have had any job but had chosen
this one, nodded and said “Yes, I’ll take you to Oakland.”
“You will? How much money do you want?”
“I will do it for free.”
“No, we will have to go to the bank first, Wells Fargo. I
have money, not much because I was robbed two times and they also stole my belt.
But you name your price and you will be a rich man.”
The young man helped his charge sign the papers, a task
the old man took seriously. It took him several minutes as he diligently worked
to remember the shapes in his name.
He spoke again, the words weren’t right and he shook his
head, frustrated and ashamed.
“I’m 94 years old. I just can’t think of the words; it’s
so hard,” and tears formed in his eyes. His young friend patted his arm.
“Can you take me to Oakland? I need to go to the bank.
Wells Fargo. I think it is in the place that is the company of California. What
is that place?” He was confused at his own question, knowing it was not right
but unable to correct it.
“Sacramento; that’s the capital of California," the caregiver informed him.
“Can you take me to Oakland? I have money in the bank.”
“Yes, I’ll take you to Oakland.”
The old man looked astonished.
“You will? You will take me to Oakland?” He began to sob
and hold his face in his hands.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.” The young man
patted his hand and allowed the old man his moment of gratitude.
A woman in the corner watched with tears in her eyes and
walked over to sit near them.
Quietly, to the caregiver, she said, “What a sweet man.”
And to the old man “Hi, what is your name?”
The old man brightened immediately. This woman was
flirting with him, by golly!
“Well, hello, young lady!” and to the caregiver: “This
young lady is talking to me. Do we know her? Is she your friend?”
“Yes, she’s my friend.” The caregiver and the woman’s
eyes meet and silently agree to the lie.
“Do you know Safeway’s Coffee place? Do you ever have
Edward’s coffee? Well, I could tell you…. well, no, I would just be making
stuff up…”
The nurse came out and called the woman’s name. She told
the old man she had to go now and shook his hand.
“It was so nice to meet you” she told him, feeling his
warmth, his humanity as they touched.
“But we will see you later, right? You’re going with us, right? She’s going to come back and go with us, right?”
“Yes, she’s coming with us,” said the caregiver.
He was still there
in his wheelchair when the woman came back. She waved goodbye and he smiled
as if he knew he was supposed to know her but didn’t know why or how. But the thought was gone again, replaced with Oakland and the man he had left there, the
one who used to live in his body. He missed him.
“Can you drive me to Oakland? I have money, you can name
your price.”
