Dipping into the Memory Jar - and Jill Alexander

EILEEN'S CURTAINS

White curtains with
tiny designs protect
the small window
where my neighbor
Eileen once lived.

I visited her nearly
every day since her son
Bill brought her up from
Florida where her husband
also named Bill died of
can't catch my breath
emphysema, and dragged
behind him, like a small
dog, his breathing machine,
oxygen.

She was sorry to leave
sweet-smelling Florida
of oranges and tangelos
and shrimp from the Bay.

I was so happy to meet her
a new friend, with soft gray
hair, blue eyes and a
nice way about her.
I never wanted to leave.

Her son Bill and daughter-in-law
Stacey wouldn't let her drive. She
accepted it. After all "They let
me into their home and gave me
every thing I wanted."

Including the dog Daisy
who with wagging tail
slept on the floor near
her bed in the room with
the lovely curtains.

She remembers nothing any more.
She lives in Brookside Manor
where a creek meanders by.
She's forgotten we used to go to
free movies at the library.
Lunch at Bonnett Lane, where she
usually ordered the same thing I did
and also matzoh ball soup
at the Red Robin Diner.

She looked the same when her companion
Jill and I visited her at Brookside.
Everything was the same, the lovely
gentle face and blue eyes, but the words
she spoke, every single word was just
plain nonsense.

.....

Was at Mom's today since Ellen was going to the YMCA gym. Detours were on the road so Scott and Ellen told me how to get there.

Exhausted, I clumb into bed with Mom, making sure her shoes were tied tight, tho my shoes were off, and we reminisced, oh my did we ever.

Mawby's hamburgers with grilled onions, sitting on red stools that twirled, Our dentist, Dr Benjamin B Bell on Lee Road. We rinsed out our mouths with Lavoris.

Mrs, Alice van Duesen at Mercer Elementary School, a pioneer of education. My fifth grade teacher Mrs. Evelyn Hess, who moved to Scarsdale NY.

The rapid transit, yellow, where Gramma Green would climb up and down the steps.

....

Mom has a new companion. Let's use that word instead of caregiver.

Jill Alexander.