[Magdalen] Some irrelevant reflections on Roger's Day 1

[James Oppenheimer]

As I sat here, remembering the nice treatment we got there, I recall
another time, when Mom and Dad were with us, and my nephew had brought his
infant daughter for her grandparents -- my parents -- to meet and greet.

Naples is a retirement community, and when someone with an infant comes
into the restaurant, it causes a delightful stir.  Everyone wanted to hold
little Kinley, and her proud papa was happy to oblige.  Several of the wait
staff took turns fussing over her, while her dad got a chance to eat.  We
looked up at one point and saw a waitress outside the glass windows,
probably telling Kinley all about the harbor.

Everybody wanted to hold Kinley and fuss over her.

She's a pretty young lady now, with a younger sister. How the time does fly!

James W. Oppenheimer
*“If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better
for people coming behind you, and you don’t do it, you're wasting your time
on this Earth.”  -- *Roberto Clemente

On Thu, Oct 23, 2014 at 11:07 AM, James Oppenheimer <oppenheimerjw at gmail.com
> wrote:

> ​
>
> On Thu, Oct 23, 2014 at 7:39 AM, ROGER STOKES <
> roger.stokes65 at btinternet.com> wrote:
>
>> After  a diversion due to the uncooperative GPS I made it to Jim
>> Handsfield's to meet him and Marcy.  They are both charming people and the
>> adaptations Jim has described on list certainly seem to have provided a
>> livable space for them to continue to enjoy. After a chat at their place we
>> went off to enjoy lunch at their favourite restaurant.  Having witnessed
>> the accessibility of the premises and the attitude of the wait staff I can
>> see why they like going there.
>
>
> It's wonderful when one finds a place that is truly accommodating.  I
> recall a Perkins near where Mom and Dad lived that we enjoyed taking Mom
> after Dad had died. Whenever we visited there were always People,
> especially ladies "of a certain age," as one of my Southern friends was
> wont to say.  I always was able to get Mom into and out of the car,
> transferring her to her wheelchair, but it was not something I was used
> to.  At the hospital I never had to do that (in fact, if I ever tried, an
> aide would say, "Let me do that, Mister Oppenheimer. I don't want you to
> hurt yourself."), and it is something one gets accustomed to. I fondly
> remember one day the manager chatted us up as we were leaving, and was also
> sizing us up. Without making anything of it (and because she was not busy
> at that instant) she chatted us out to our car and transferred Mom to the
> car as easy as pie.  I really loved that place.
>
> I also recall a restaurant where we laved to take Mom and Dad.  Dad had
> always loved the sea, and this was right on the water. One could look out
> the floor-to-ceiling glass and enjoy the small boats rushing around, and I
> know Dad loved breathing the air.
> He would get a wonderful bottle of wine, and some good food. Right up to
> the end of his life, he continued to enjoy high quality in both, and lucky
> it was for us, as it was one of the few things we could actually do for him.
>
> I once took Mom there. Dad was at that time in the care center and could
> no longer go out. Two of us settled in for a dinner of good food and good
> wine, when suddenly Mom had a brief violent coughing fit (it was only clear
> in retrospect that it was a cough, so one can imagine my consternation) and
> wine went all over her. At the time, I was afraid she was very sick.  One
> of the wait staff came over instantly and took Mom in her wheelchair into
> the ladies'.
> Very shortly she came back and said, "Your mother is just fine.  We just
> want to try to clean her up a little bit and we'll get her back to you."
> When they wheeled her back, she looked fine, and she now had an improvised
> bib of white napkin over her blouse where she had spilled all of her wine.
> We had a fine meal, although Mom was embarrassed, "I don't know quite what
> happened. I just suddenly choked.  -- And weren't those girls just
> wonderful?"
> Yes they were. This guy, utterly unprepared for what happened, was so
> grateful that some folks instantly stepped up. I don't know their names,
> and they probably thought nothing of it, but I will never forget their
> helpfulness.
>
> One day my brother Larry tells how he took Dad there, and a young lady was
> their server. She came back with the news that the particular wine Dad
> requested was not available. She, being both inexperienced in wine (I'll
> bet she probably knew a lot more about wine than I did, but I digress) and
> an eager server, ready to suggest a substitute, she asked if he would like
> to try another wine that was very popular there.  I now forget the wine,
> but it's a type that tends to be a bit on the sweet side. While Dad was
> still enjoying wine and food, he was much less responsive, so I'm sure that
> was one reason why he just accepted the substitute.
> When it arrived at the table, Dad, who could at that time hardly raise his
> head, took a little sip, and gently pushed the glass away. "Tastes like
> punch!"
> Larry ordered a different bottle.
> The next time we came there, the wait staff remembered him with delight:
> "Oh that's the guy who refused the wine!" We all thought it was great. One
> wait staff improvised, "Throw it in the bay!"
>
> That restaurant closed a very short time after the last time we had need
> of it, which seemed an interesting bit of timing.
>
>
>
>
> James W. Oppenheimer
> *“If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things
> better for people coming behind you, and you don’t do it, you're wasting
> your time on this Earth.”  -- *Roberto Clemente
> ​
>