Short Short Story 344 words

Be ready to uplift Lynne any instant, I remind myself. Anna, her exerciser-advocate texted me they finally had permission to go outside and were headed for the soccer field. I’ll be there I said as I stood in my PJs with bare feet, unwashed dishes, unshaved beard, unwashed face, unbrushed teeth, uncombed hair, unmade bed, unanswered emails.

I kicked the pink soccer ball into Lynne’s view as soon as I saw them. We kicked over to Parker-the-toddler and invited him to play. He loved the pink soccer ball. His mother encouraged him as he sized us up. He picked up the ball barely smaller than he was and kicked it at least half-a-foot towards Lynne who was 20 feet away. He jiggled with excitement as Lynne laughed.

We kicked the soccer ball towards a man more her age wrapping his arms around a large a 20-pound leather exercise ball and heaving it a foot or two. I said my ball was easier to pick up. He laughed, stepped back and invited Lynne to try it.    

Instead she kicked with her clog shoes and moved it half-a-foot. She backed up to get a better run at it. He advised not to do that. Might hurt her toe. She agreed.

Anna said Schmitty the kitty is racing around the apartment. He is friendly with everybody. Tries to head out the door when it opens. I suggested to Lynne we should get him a bigger apartment so he could run around more. She listened.

The hard part was not having anyone to talk to during 12 days inside because a resident had the Covid-19 virus. I suggested we should get her a roommate so she’d have someone to talk to. She listened.

My suggestions were inspired by caregivers who believe Lynne needs a place where she can be safer, more social and more helpful to other residents. They have space in the memory care unit. Her brother, sister and I agree. We’ll have a one-hour virtual-tour of rooms and facilities in the memory care unit next week. We’ll be ready.