Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Sarah Lynn and me - Poem: Wheelchair - Dining at the Old Mill Inn (again)


You've seen them in the
supermarkets, the elderly
men and women, riding
in motorized wheelchairs,
"as a courtesy to our valued
customers." My left foot is
encased in an orthopedic
boot, the little toe broken
and weeping silently inside,

My daughter Sarah has come
to live with me and use my
home as a Writers Retreat.
"You can do it, Mom," she
says as I climb into the
wheelchair, unplug the fat
black plug from the wall
and cruise slowly into
the wall-to-wall traffic
of the Giant Supermarket.

Grasp the yellow handles
this is where the power
comes from. Why, it's
like a car or riding
a bike.

"You're doing great Mom,"
says Sarah as we glide
like a horse, me, and the jockey,
her, down the long produce aisle
for watermelon, broccoli, black
kale, zucchini and yellow squash
and all the other things she will
cook for me on her retreat.

Never a mistake I make, as I
navigate around the huge barricades
- o do not crash - of featured
products, potato chips of all
different hues - new beers they
now stock - and - what's this?
snow shovels already, though
it's still the dog days
of August.

At seventy years old, I am
proud of myself. I have
learned something new. No
cryptograms or crosswords
or learning Japanese for me.

Just the simple act of driving
in a car through the Giant
Supermarket on a hot August
day with my beloved daughter
and kidney donor, by my side.

***

With my driving glasses on, I inched my way in the dark to Louie's Old Mill Inn.

Whew! Found it. Hard to drive in the night.

Wore my small boot there but must change into my big boot tonite.




Megan was our gracious server. We were celebrating Sarah's trip to Rio. We did this with Pellegrino which she introduced me to when we went to Saint Martin's in the Virgin Islands.




Clams with thyme, I believe. Altho I said nuffin, I thought I might barf. Am not used to eating such rich food.

 My salmon, risotto and asparagus were quite good.
 Sarah had undercooked eggplant and spaghetti with tomato sauce.
The dipping of the charozit, I mean bread into olive oil.

 When they saw my Boot, Puss, they asked me what happened. One woman had an operation for the all-time painful condition Plantar Fascitis. I had it when Dan got married.
Here's Louie himself.

They opened last month, accdg to Patch. com.

Here's the last time I was there.

Time check:  10:02 PM

You have about two hours to contemplate the End of August, 2016.... how quickly times goes by.... are you living a meaningful life.... and what you would rather be doing AND why you aren't.


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