The summer before my senior year of high school I spent a morning at my local nursing home. After sitting with one gentlemen for what seemed like hours I had heard tales of WWII, his own service in the military, his wife, his kids, and what had brought him to be living in a Cut Bank nursing home. After having lunch with him I was getting up to leave, he wrapped his arms around me and said, "You are the first person to have sat down and truly visited with me in over three years, you are an amazing young lady come back again soon." As I walked away from the table I realized that three years is a really long time to not talk to anyone. Of course he had nurses, and the occasional school group out to entertain the elderly, but to not have a long one on one conversation with someone for three years, or have the enjoyment of someone coming to see just you, thats very sad. I visited him 2 more times before the terrible excuse of "I was too busy" set in. At Christmas I joined up with Santa Clause and we made a visit to the nursing home. We entered room after room delivering a little Christmas spirit to all. When we reached my old friends room I rushed right in excited to see him again, as Jolly Old Saint Nick gave him a present, he looked at me and said, "And what is your name little elf?"As I responded thinking he was joking, I began to see that he really forgotten who I was.
Flash Forward to Today:
We had our final promotional performance for All Shook Up, and today it was taking place at a local nursing home. Upon arriving one of the resident got up from his wheelchair and came over to talk. After talking to us for a few minutes, we learned two things, first that his name was Paul, and that he entertained the residents by playing the harmonica. He noticed that that sparked our interest. So he rushed back to his wheelchair and literally jetted back to his room nearly taking out a nurse that was apparently in his way. Before to long he was wheeling himself back to the group with a black harmonica on his lap. Without a moment to spare, he quickly began to show off his awesome talent. Within minutes of the music beginning, the entire cast accompanied by a 91 year old harmonica player was singing "You Are My Sunshine," in four part harmony I might add. As we headed into the main room to perform Elvis for the rest of the residents, Paul wheeled himself right up front. As Jailhouse rock finished up, he told our star, "You pretty good for just starting out." Paul let his opinion be heard no matter what song. As Maddie got up to sing "Fools Fall in Love", Paul wheeled himself right up to her feet to let her know that he was having a hard time hearing her. He was completely hilarious, and it was hard to stay in character while he was getting so excited to hear us sing. When Bella and Justin got up to sing "Its Now or Never," you could tell he knew the song. He quickly lifted his harmonica, and joined in. When Bella began to sing her part of the love song, instead of taking it to Justin, she threw her actions and gestured to Paul instead. The rest of the cast that this was both cute and funny, but not Paul. As soon as he realized that Bella was singing to him, he lowered his harmonica, smiled the widest smile I think he could do, and began to cry. As the cast began to sing "Can't Help Falling in Love" he continued to wipe away tears and mouth every word to the song. Obviously striking something within him, I watched as a happy go lucky harmonica player was moved to tears by a song that the audiences we normal entertained could laugh at. It truly brought a new feeling and meaning to the song. We finished with "All Shook Up" a song that he had been requesting since seeing our matching tshirts. He was all smiles as we ended our set. Before leaving with took a group picture with our elderly admirer, and began to leave. Before I could go, Paul grabbed my hand and said, "Thank you."
Its amazing how in a matter of a few minutes and with only a few words you can touch someone in someway. By merely giving time to those who probably only have nurses for friends you can change their day and maybe even more. The only thing I fear about becoming old is being put in a nursing home, because I have don't want to be forgotten. We all get so caught up in our own lives that we forget that there are people stuck in a building who are probably starving to be heard, to tell their story. Or just to have someone come and see them, to enjoy the company of compassion. I am sure Paul is probably entertaining the other residents but would love to entertain new faces. And obviously not being visited for three years makes for one lonely place to live. I just hope that when the day comes that I am sitting in that bed in that white room of a nursing home that someone will come a touch my heart by merely listening to the stories I have to tell or the songs I still have in my soul.
"Wisdom doesn't automatically come with old age. It's true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place."--Abigail Van Buren
