Tag: connections

What’s the Good Word?

Dad has a difficult time finding the right words most times. “It’s just not coming to me…”, so often mutters within his struggling conversations with me. Questions or comments in his direction trigger this reply a lot.

This is a symptom of the underlying disease of dementia, of course. Patience rules the moments. I try to get information. “How was your day?”. “Tell me about how you feel now.”. “Are you glad to get out for a little bit?”. I don’t know – even after years – if these are good, or appropriate, questions? All I want to do is stay connected to him as long as I can.

As I struggle to find connecting questions on this journey with dad, I find my inner voice saying, as well, … “it’s not coming to me”. What’s right and proper? A brain, aware and alert most of the time, finds it difficult to locate a quizicle query … an interesting issue to trigger dad’s synaptic senses.

This, probably, is a common frustration for those in my circle of known, and unknown, friends holding mental hands with dementia suffering loved ones. Has to be common? Communication. Conversation. What was once normal, everyday who, where, and why, … is now one way remembrances as blank stares and misplaced whats disguised as whos dominate discussions.

Yet, we love them the same. Even more, I would argue.

My point of all this is … why write it? Why briefly point out dad’s unique, but common, response restraint? Problem finding the right words – the correct, perfect reply.

I know my dad. He’s a perfectionist. Even with his life’s setback now, this trait is still deeply embedded. I do believe he may want to answer the best way he can. “It” may just be that perfect word he can’t process anymore. That perfect word isn’t coming to him.

A son, laughingly must admit, carries the same gene … not to a fault, however. I allow some things to slip by.

What couldn’t get by me was that perfect word this evening. Truly, “it wasn’t”, yes, “coming to me”. This was a moment I felt a connection to dad and he wasn’t even around. Ironically, we planned on his attendance, but scheduling prevented it.

Simply stated, a guest pastor was in attendance at our evening service. I had a moment beforehand to mention how much I enjoyed his remarks at a funeral a few weeks past. As the organist at many a funerals, I heard many eulogies. At this particular service, his words were, well, ….

… and here’s where I got stuck. The pastor and I could have easily been dad and I mired in traffic for a few awkward moments -with a few glaring differences, of course. No dad and son. One pastor and organist. Both, supposedly of sound mind.

However, still one blankly staring back at his friendly guest pastor thinking, “it’s not coming to me..” What’s the proper and right word to compliment a pastor on his exceptional message on the death of a beloved friend, pastor to us all?

As I spoke a few wiggly words, none seemed appropriate. Each worse than one prior. The pastor’s kind, but confused smiles confirmed my suspicions. It was a “good” message? I “enjoyed’ what you said? None lifted itself on angel’s wings, for sure. “Nice job”? As the few minutes swooped into mild embarrassment, we parted ways with no damage done. We’ve been friends a long time. He knows … I know. A little lighthearted banter before worship in his mind.

For me, not so much.

A chance to be dad. To understand how he must be. “Be” in a moment where the right word/phrase isn’t processing. I can’t imagine living in that space 24/7 … especially when in a car being asked questions you KNOW you should be able to answer … just can’t find the words. Or, remember.

It’s been eight hours now. You know, I STILL don’t know what, exactly, to say. It was a lovely funeral. Of all memorials I’ve played, his words are in the top 10%. This is what I ended up saying to him.

That’ll have to suffice. I’m not happy with it. Doesn’t seem enough. What he said about our dear friend was amazing, poignant, caring, and compassionate. With those, I am not satisfied. They’re not what I want to say.

Maybe dad has it right, after all. It may be best to just admit, “it’s not coming to me”, and move on.

Well, in any case, having that connection moment with dad was kinda cool. Dementia has its unique set of problems. It’s nice to know we can share these little problems together.

Together in spirit, that is.

Next time in the car, in a grocery store, or at one of his favorite ice cream stops, … we’ll have another, “it’s not coming to me” moment in person.

It’s anyone’s guess as to which one of us will be waiting for a reply. All good as long as the connection is maintained.

That’s the blessing in all of this.

Change is Hard

“Hello?”

This phone has its share of problems. I think of them often as my early morning weekday and Sunday evening body walks by this corner. On a not-so nuanced angle where a pizza shop meets a cigar emporium, I consider the hang-ups I have and unanswered calls for possible solutions to challenges lingering about this brain of mine. Most have connected to the same fate as this coin eating relic: a dead dial tone of silence.

This is ok. My receiver is busted, too, and it takes more than five or ten cents to make me work these days. To coin a phrase, those little dimes and quarters are made of metal because … change is hard. It really is. Most likely explains why this Allegheny street artifact is still bolted to the wall after years of neglect and abuse. Our borough doesn’t move quickly on matters such as this. I don’t blame them. After all, had this worn and whacked push-button recluse been systematically pile-heaped, I’d have no friend to write about today.

It is a friend. Yes, a beaten down, torn up, knocked around friend. One I pass a lot while headed to see my human friends who have their share of problems. A Sunday night dad in a pizza shop, or a group of air-breathers sitting patiently inside The Capitol Hotel. All of them burdened with their own basket of problems. Oh, and I have mine as well. All of us do, right?

We don’t want change, but it happens. Just like my broken friend, change is inevitable. Small bits forced into the slots demanding calls we didn’t want to make. We hope upon hope what we are urged into doing IS the right move – the right call for that moment in time. Is it worth the heightened pulse in our chest and sweat in our brow? Will there be an answer at the other end of the experience? Are the words we speak being received … across a possible, impossible emotional divide? Is the connection even there, anymore?

I think it is. At least for 3,000 of us Americans. According to Google, there are 100,000 operational phone booths in the USA with 1/5 of those in NYC. That means roughly 3,000 folks can pick up a street receiver and number poke a friend. The odds are pretty good no creature under, say, 35 will be doing such dinosaur digit-driving due to their lack of experience in the matter, but those of us who frantically dug into our pockets for dimes and quarters can certainly relate. The connection is there. It may be lint, gum wrappers, or twist ties, but it’s there …

Even though this one friend is broken beyond repair, all is not lost. Connections are never lost forever. Temporarily down, perhaps … but not gone. Change, however hard as it may be, is still in the belly of the beast … just like it is if someone mistakenly slips a few coins into this busted machine. Adjustments and evolutions of self take place over time. Time is what we have until it is no more. Time has been graciously given to my friend – patiently feeling its tone year after year .. and I’m glad the borough decided to give it extended existence.

I’ll pass it again this morning and again Sunday. Nothing will change. Today as has been, the receiver sits half-broken, number buttons have been without finger prints for years, and the “o” remains partially covered with a wonky, pinkish “ok” sign. Those are the only guarantees, I suspect. Everything else swirling about in my world – and the world of my friends and family – will be different. Transitions in small ways will occur and calls to make big changes must be answered. This is life. This is all of us every day.

We have our share of problems. I don’t think I’d have it any other way. Challenges make all of us unique. Isolated unto our own individualism, yet together in our ability to help one another through. Friends through and through.

This phone is my friend. It may be broken, but so are my friends … and so am I. Once we realize nothing is in perfect working order and change is hard, life becomes easier.

On an modest corner where many have passed, I think about my life. Yes, only for a minute or two. Nevertheless, these are the moments I can ask the universe, “Hello? Anyone there?”, and feel someone is actually listening…

… and to know a few steps later there will be … inside a very familiar, comfortable hotel cafe or pizza shop. That’s what friends are for.