Thursday, December 15, 2016

Sunrise Service in Surf City

Nothing like going to an early service across Main Street, U.S.A in Surf City. 
   The Java Coffee Shop opens up at six o'clock. My apartment, the Five Points sits across the street from the Five Points Shopping Center. My favorite stores are the JAVA Coffee Shop, and Trader Joe's.
   I stumble into the coffee shop at about seven and buy my freshly baked French bread. Inside, two gentleman work a crossword puzzle while people trickle in for their fix for the day. Like a sunrise church service, the ambiance of the place and the rich variety of cakes, muffins, and bagels give the patrons their first lift for the day. But today is different since I arrived at ten o'clock pushing an antique noisy wheel chair with a dead weight sitting on it, my Brother Mel.
   I took the day off from the library to monitor the work of cleaners, and later a rug shampooer. My manager saw a few cockroaches and warned me to have it cleaned by the nineteenth, or else. I had told her to send a copy in writing. So far she has not replied.
   My daughter's Xmas present was sent early in the morning so I had a chance to take my brother for a treat at my favorite coffee shop. The Sea Cliff Health Center lies two clocks south from my apartment. Mel had been dressed, and waited for me in an outdated wheel chair that coughed and moaned the whole way to the Five Points Shopping Center. The wheels hit a few ruts along the way but we made it.
   I helped Mel stand and take a seat. I bought him a chocolate croissant, slice it. and gave the plate to Mel. Since he is almost totally blind, I made sure to hand him a fork and deliver the first hit on a delectable treat.
   "Boy, enjoy this cafe and this is the first time been out in the sun. Too bad you spent all your money on family George. We could have had a car by now." (My car had been stolen in broad daylight at the Five Points Apartments.)
  "Well Mel, it is worth it. I have two beautiful daughters who I love equally. My energy has been on the youngest for a long time."
   At ten o'clock my brother wished to be wheeled back to his bed. I just knew that at the hospice section of the "Butcher Store", the placed him in the back with the other expired meat. "The Hall of  Wax" is in the back of the nursing home. Many of these patients have not seen the sun in months, and of course without Vitamin D, their bodies have trouble dispersing the vitamins from food to other areas in their body.
  I wheeled him back to his room, in back of the "Butcher Shop" and knew he wished to sleep and be alone. Now safely inside his room, he dropped to sleep and be alone. He had trouble turning over, in fact, he had trouble moving at all.
  Of course the clerk at the desk David lied when he told Mel he would be fitted for glasses and teethe. In fact, everything must be written in ink, and you hope that there promises will be reliable. A few of his medications I will provide for you: Protonix, Insulin, Imetrex, Lorazepam, Dabigetran and seven other medications.
  No wonder Mel could not arise. Was the "Butcher Shop" trying to kill him. I knew that there probably was mal-practice at the Pacific Royale Assistance Community where he collapsed at the dinner table. The growth on his ear still had not been removed and even now, it is still there.
  That night he could not get up. I helped him up at about seven o'clock. LVN Dippy brought his tray of rice and meat to his serving table. Now I had to aid him to sit up, and then feed him. His only good eye with 200/20 vision had gone to sleep. Why Mel could not even watch the Clipper basketball game. He forked him the food for a few seconds, not enough for a full grown man and let him go back to sleep. Was Mel waiting for death?
  Did the nurse  forget to give him his insulin...as they did the other day with his roomate? Why Didn't Ed, the owner of the Assistant Living refuse to cash his 500 check, since he knew Mel carried no identification?
  
 

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