Adventure 433: The Story of George, 10

January 29, 2018

Real time today found George awake, looking sharp in his new Swing Easy/Hit Hard pull over, and gobbling his breakfast like a street waif with a free food coupon. He took pills on his own, his color looked good, and this marks his steady improvement since lat week. I left to visit the Social Security  Office to see if we could get a new card to replace George's lost one. My time at the SS Office, filled as it was with scores of people who by their appearance, their hacks and coughs,  and their tepid postures, would seem to have tales of woe far more serious than any I could come up with. There was one bright spot. I sat, body to body, in the 75 seat waiting room. To my right, was a lady under forty whose story I'm sure would count as sad. But to my left, there was a young mother with her toddler, Amari Lynn. Amari, no more than three, was operating her mother's phone, watching Youtube videos that tested her knowledge of colors. A dancing figure would appear and then a printed word in it color "Yellow". Amir identified each one correctly. She was not only cute, but clearly bright. She clearly had limits as well. She asked, "May I pick this one?" I spent three hours at the Social Security office before I made my way to the window for my turn. It turns out it was a good visit that was well worth the time. I had gone to get anew card. I came out controlling George's monies, although this will be after several more paperwork shuffles. It's a good step that will simplify things when George becomes completely unable to manage his own affairs.

I remember one summer visit. Tom and I and Wendy, our step sister were there. We spent a hot summer day out on the Clearwater river swimming and enjoying the weather. At the time, I was about eleven. I was a good swimmer, and I wasn't intimidated by the strong current of the river. I also remember running up to Wendy, stopping suddenly which caused sand to lurch onto her book. She barked at me. Mostly, i remember it as a good time. Those times are really few and far between, but I even went up the Clearwater river in my young adult years to see if I could find the place we spent on the river. Sometimes it's nice just to focus on the good times.