Meeting Mabel

     Page Sixty-One.
     When I was new in the activities department of Fancy-Shmancy Nursing Home in 2003, it took me a few weeks to meet all the residents. Gradually though, I met everybody and started establishing some pleasant relationships. I was told in advance that one particular woman, Mabel, would be very entertaining. She'd moved into the home about one year earlier at the age of 98 and she'd lived at home by herself until moving into Fancy-Shmancy.
     So one afternoon, I went to her room and knocked. I'd already worked in the hospital for a few years, so I knew what to expect. I knew that Mabel would be taking a nap, doing a puzzle, watching a soap or some such thing. After all, like I said, I'd already done this type of thing a thousand times. So, anyhow, I knocked. "Just a minute. Be right there." At least I didn't wake her up, I thought. (I hate waking old people up.) After a long moment, a bright-eyed, small-framed, gray-coiffed, graciously-dressed, very old woman opened the door and with many teeth showing said, "hello, may I help you?" I introduced myself as Jeremy, the new activities assistant, and explained that I was trying to meet all the residents of the home.
     "Oh, yes. I heard about you. Please come in." She led me into her her room. "Please forgive my delay in opening the door. I was in the middle of emailing a friend in China when you knocked."  That told me everything right there. This 99 year old lady, in 2003, was emailing a friend in China. I realized right then that this was no ordinary, old lady. She was hip and knew what was going on. She wasn't scared of any technology or new gadgetry. Her attitude was "Bring It On, Baby". She amazed me. Today, I know people half her age who are substantially more intimidated by technology than she ever was.
     We would go on to become quite friendly. I visited her regularly, even after I got my promotion to activity coordinator of the dementia units. She would have to give up the computer about three years later (age 102) because her eyesight would fail. She would die four years after that (age 106). The last couple years of her life, I only saw her on Christmas. I'd eventually quit working at Fancy-Shmancy, but continued volunteering there. One of my regular volunteer gigs was covering Christmas; I visited all the residents in the home on that day and Mabel always gave me some See's chocolate which friends sent her for the holidays. She never lost her faculties either.
     I'll never forget the 99 year old lady whom I interrupted on the computer.