My dad is staying with me for the next few months and in the few weeks that he has been at home, I've noticed a few things about him that heralds the aging parent.
We don't have a spare bedroom, so we've invested in a bed and a privacy screen and installed him in the "game room" space outside my sons' bedrooms. I thought I'd recount some of our conversations.
"You know Daddy, ah tink we should get ah little privacy screen to put up by yuh bed. Yuh know, so anybody comin' up de steps doh see you on your bed, an' give you a little privacy."
"Nah, what ah go do wit dat? Ah doh need no privacy screen. Why was'e yuh money? If ah want someting like dat, ah go put ah box or someting or tie ah piece ah sheet across if ah want some privacy."
It went on like this for a few days and I ignored him and got a 4-panel folding privacy screen. The evening it was delivered and I set it up, my dad said this:
"Yuh know, de screen looking ok. It simple yuh know, but just one ting - it could be jus' a lil' bit wider. Ah fine it ah little too narrow."
Hmmm
One night I woke up to hear my dad saying his prayers out loud.
"Daddy, shhhhh yuh talkin' very loud, I t'ought you fell asleep wit' de TV on."
"WHAT? I TALKING LOUD?"
"Shhh...yes, I hear yuh all de way dongstairs from our room an' de door close."
"OH, AH DIDN' REALIZE AH WAS TALKING SO LOUD."
"Yes, ok , jus' finish up and go to sleep."
"OK OK, AH TALKING LOUD..AH PUT DONG MEH HEARIN' AID AND AH CYAH FINE IT. AH DIDN' KNOW AH WAS TALKING SO LOUD."
"Ok, ok, we'll find it later, don't worry, go to sleep now."
The conversation would have been even more comical if it wasn't happening at 1:00am!
This evening, my dad was waiting for me to come home from work before he had his dinner. He usually sits at the same seat at the table every time he comes to visit and he was sitting at his seat as usual. After some basic chit chat about the day, our conversation went like this:
"Daddy, what you feelin' for, fuh dinner?"
"You see about de chirren nah, ah go get meh dinner, you doh worry about me."
He remained seated.
"What yuh feel like? Some roti? Or bread? Maybe sardine?"
"Nah nah..maybe a little turkey on a slice of bread, ah sandwich nah."
"Ok." I started making it in the kitchen.
"White bread?''
"Yeah, but you doh worry, you should go an' change and see about de chirren. I will take care of mehself."
He still didn't move. I took the turkey and bread out of the fridge.
"You'll put ah little ketchup and some mustard on it nah."
"Yes, yes. Ready for tea?"
"Yeah. But I will get up jus' now. De boys ok?"
"Yes, dey in order."
I turned on the kettle for his evening cup of tea. I brought his tea and sandwich when they were ready, and sat down to talk.
It is quite clear that compared to when I saw him just last year, my dad needs a bit more care and feeding, and that is ok. He has earned it - he is almost 85 after all.
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