Mrs. Dunkin #25

This is a continuing story.  To see the rest click here.  

25

The next morning Kate came into my room when I was waking up. 

“Good Morning” I said.

“Morning Annie, you’re up early today.”

“I think I got too much sleep yesterday.  Also I’m a little concerned about my friend, Stella.”

“Is she ill?”

“Yes, she’s in the hospital for pneumonia.”

“I’m sure she will be fine.”

“That’s just what my daughter said.”

“Here are your pills and some water.  I’ll see you later in the dayroom” and she left.

I took my pills and then got my clothes and took a shower.

It was too early for breakfast and I decided to knit some more.  I thought maybe I would give this afghan to Stella when she was better.  As I rocked and knitted, I could feel it creaking.  I wondered if it could be fixed.

I saw Cheryl walking by the room and called to her.

“Can I help you with something Annie?”

“Yes dear, do you think there is someone here that could fix my rocker?”

“Let me call Jim from maintenance and see what he says” and she picked up my phone and dialed.

“Hi Jim, this is Cheryl.  Annie Dunkin has a rocker that she needs fixed can anyone do it for her?  Yeah, okay I’ll tell her” and she hung up the phone.  “He said he’ll be right down to look at it.”

“Thanks dear.”

“Okay, I’ll see you later.”

Shortly after she left, Jim came in.  “I have time to look at your rocker now what seems to be the problem?”

“Well, it’s very old.  I had it when my first child was born.  It’s beginning to creak.”

Jim looked it over and said “This can be fixed easily.  It has to be re-glued.  It will probably take a couple of days though because I will have to take it apart and get off all the old glue before putting new stuff on it.”

“That’s okay.  This rocker means so much to me.  I’m happy that it can be fixed.”

“I’ll take good care of it Annie” and he carried it out.

I put on a sweater and headed out to the day-room.  Not too many people were there yet so I headed into the family room and went to the computer, checked my email and again there was nothing so I turned if off.  There was today’s newspaper in the room.  I got a cup of coffee, took the paper and sat down on one of the chairs and started reading.

“Hello girlie” Fred said.

“Hello Fred, how are you this morning?”

“Quite well, thank you.  Is there anything good in the newspaper?”

“I don’t know I just started.”

“Well, have a good day.”

“You too Fred” and he left. 

A second later, I heard beeping.  Fred must be trying to escape and I chuckled and could hear Kate saying “Fred, you’re going the wrong way.  Let me get you to a table.”

I went back to reading the paper and drinking my coffee.

I could hear that more people were coming to the day-room.

I went to the day-room and I could see Clara sitting with the ladies and they were all laughing so I joined them.

“So Annie, what are you going to be?  I can’t wait any longer” Clara said.

“I decided to be a gypsy.  I already have all the things I need, how about the rest of you?”

Clara said “I decided to be Rudolph the Red Nosed reindeer.  I have a pair of antlers I got years ago from Christmas from someone.  I thought I could put the red lipstick on my nose and where a brown sweatshirt.”

“Oh, I like that” I said.

“I’m going to be a pumpkin” Nancy said.  “I have an orange sweatshirt.  I thought I would use make-up to fix up my face.  The only thing I don’t have is a stem for my head.  If I had some green yarn I could knit up a cap for my head.”

“I think I might have some green yarn; I’ll check later, Nancy.”

“The only thing I could think of was a ghost.  I asked Cheryl if she could check and see if they have any old white sheets.  She told me if they didn’t she could go to Goodwill and get one for me.  I would just cut eyes and a mouth out.  What do you think” asked Audrey.

“I think it sounds like a plan” I said.

“I’m going to be a cowgirl” Mildred said.  “I told my daughter and she helped me come up with that.  She’s going to bring me a cowboy hat and I have a blouse that looks western.”

“And you Gladys, what are you going to be” I asked.

“I haven’t figured out one yet” she said sadly.

Just then our breakfast came.

 

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