I think I may have surely come to that stage and age in life where I can’t…I can’t…well, now I can’t remember what I was going to say. Oh, that was it, that stage where I just can’t seem to remember things. I’ve come to that time in life where I’m standing beside a bathtub filled with water and wondering to myself if I was about to get in the bathtub, or did I just get out. When I ask Jean, she says, “Well, feel of your hair. If it is wet, then you just got out of the bathtub.” So, I take her advice and sure enough my hair is wet. Then I ask, “Did I just come inside out of the rain, or did I just get out of the shower?” She says, “Silly man, it’s not even raining outside.” With my small amount of thinning hair, by the time all of that has transpired it has already dried, and I’m right back where I started. Once again, I wondering did I…well, you know.
Late at night, do you ever have those times when a craving for something sweet grabs you like an octopus? I’m talking about the kind of craving that causes you to get up and get dressed again, after you’ve already slipped into your favorite sweatpants and T-shirt, and then head to the store when you should be headed to bed. Without even making eye contact with your beloved, you ask, “You want some ice cream?” When she answers, “Sure.” You ask, “Do you want to ride with me?” She says, “No, but get vanilla, and get some chocolate syrup to go on top of it, because you know I really don’t like vanilla. And, get some kind of nuts, maybe some walnuts and pecans, no, wait, how about some peanuts…chocolate covered peanuts. Maybe some sprinkles would be good, too, and a can of that squirt-on whipped cream. Get a jar of those sweet, candied cherries, too, for the top. You could get some ice-cream cones, but I don’t think all that will fit in a cone, so never mind.”
Then she asks, “Did you write all that down, so you won’t forget any of it?” You slightly snort and chuckle as you say, “I won’t forget anything on that list. Didn’t you hear ole LeRoy tell me yesterday that I still have a mind like a steel trap?” She chuckles as she says, “I believe what LeRoy meant was once you get something shut up inside that trap, you can’t ever remember how to get it back out!”
After you return from the store, she looks inside your one little sack. There is nothing inside it but one giant-size jar of crunchy peanut butter. She sighs and says, “You beat everything. I told you that you should write it all down. All you bought was peanut butter! You know that we don’t have a cracker in this house to put it on, or one single slice of bread! Besides that, you should know I don’t like crunchy, I prefer smooth!”
Forgetfulness is part of aging, and we joke about it, but serious memory issues are no joking matter. An estimated 10% of people over 70 have some form of dementia. Over six million Americans are suffering with Alzheimer’s disease. As Baby Boomers grow older, those numbers are expected to rise. If you, or someone you love, are suffering from either of these problems, my prayers are with you. Those are not easy roads to travel. By all means, please don’t try to travel them alone.
Bill King can be reached at bkpreach@yahoo.com or 334-728-5514 (office).
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