sm
member
The Ride
As some know my mom is 75 and has some trouble getting around. Her neighborhood has deteriorated over the years, and is not safe. I therefore have been insisting that she not go places by herself, to take note of suggestions I make about awareness and other such matters. I often take her places she needs to run errands, and use her handicapped hang tag to park closer. She finally admitted the cane I insisted she buy is actually making things a bit better.
“ I used to have your brother offer to take me places....he used to invite to attend that flea market in town...†(I'm thinking what brother...)
Momspeak for she wanted to attend a flea market in town. She wanted to see the old neighborhood where we grew up, and some other places. Made me feel uneasy; besides the fact these areas are in really bad areas, that kind of talk , well makes one wonder.
We did the flea market, she was worn out. She still wanted to see the areas , and I made it clear about safety, to let me do my thing, and for gosh sakes don’t be pointing at everyone and everything.
We always take my truck, I prefer to drive my truck and it is easier for her to get in and out.
So the old house is still standing, it was built with second hand lumber by her mom back when. The other houses her brother built around that area are long gone. Many of the houses our neighbors had are gone. The streets – many are concrete barricaded, or totally gone. Looks like a war zone. The big old tree with the tree-house – is gone.
"That aint' art mom - that IS gang graffetti"
"Oh"
All this time she senses I am in a different world – I hear her voice , I reply, but I’m in a state of orange with a tinge of red.
My high school has history, the Mobil station is a National Landmark now….we are passed on a side street – the car stops ahead at a angle, the glint may have been a cell phone….
I hit reverse, tires burning, next thing I hear “ I can’t take this…you didn’t back into a side street…â€
I surprised the car that had been following us at a distance, I swerved and didn’t have to take the sidewalk – I was about to.
“How fast are you going?â€
Then the young folks on the corner tossed a 2x4 in the street in front of us; had to go around that, the nails were obvious , the one tossed at from behind fell short…
Once out of the area in a safe area, mom drinking water from an empty water bottle…
“This is why I don’t go certain places, to avoid trouble – don’t be there in the first place.
I didn’t use a side street, I pulled a 180 in the middle of the road. There was another car blocking that cross street. I was doing about 80 mph when I hit the brakes and took that hard right at about 55 , my speedometer only goes to 85 , and it pegged when I hit that long stretch back there...â€
"Oh my, you were going faster than 85?"
"Yep"
“Oh…this was not a good idea of mine was it?â€
“Nope, anywhere else you need to see, any other errands we need to attend to?â€
“I’m ready to go home nowâ€
We get her home -“about that security stuff you want me to do around the house…â€
“And what did you say about keeping safe when I do so and soâ€
“So I need to change what I do, how I do it, and pay attention you say?â€
I had to assure I was not mad at her, just when I get in a certain mindset, and I am focused in a state of awareness, well that is the way I am.
I have a feeling she may be a bit more receptive about some of my concerns, like car-jackings going on around here, following elderly folks home from the Drug Store, and such.
I don’t recommend taking your elderly parents for such a ride, I do suggest educating them about how real today's world is though.
As some know my mom is 75 and has some trouble getting around. Her neighborhood has deteriorated over the years, and is not safe. I therefore have been insisting that she not go places by herself, to take note of suggestions I make about awareness and other such matters. I often take her places she needs to run errands, and use her handicapped hang tag to park closer. She finally admitted the cane I insisted she buy is actually making things a bit better.
“ I used to have your brother offer to take me places....he used to invite to attend that flea market in town...†(I'm thinking what brother...)
Momspeak for she wanted to attend a flea market in town. She wanted to see the old neighborhood where we grew up, and some other places. Made me feel uneasy; besides the fact these areas are in really bad areas, that kind of talk , well makes one wonder.
We did the flea market, she was worn out. She still wanted to see the areas , and I made it clear about safety, to let me do my thing, and for gosh sakes don’t be pointing at everyone and everything.
We always take my truck, I prefer to drive my truck and it is easier for her to get in and out.
So the old house is still standing, it was built with second hand lumber by her mom back when. The other houses her brother built around that area are long gone. Many of the houses our neighbors had are gone. The streets – many are concrete barricaded, or totally gone. Looks like a war zone. The big old tree with the tree-house – is gone.
"That aint' art mom - that IS gang graffetti"
"Oh"
All this time she senses I am in a different world – I hear her voice , I reply, but I’m in a state of orange with a tinge of red.
My high school has history, the Mobil station is a National Landmark now….we are passed on a side street – the car stops ahead at a angle, the glint may have been a cell phone….
I hit reverse, tires burning, next thing I hear “ I can’t take this…you didn’t back into a side street…â€
I surprised the car that had been following us at a distance, I swerved and didn’t have to take the sidewalk – I was about to.
“How fast are you going?â€
Then the young folks on the corner tossed a 2x4 in the street in front of us; had to go around that, the nails were obvious , the one tossed at from behind fell short…
Once out of the area in a safe area, mom drinking water from an empty water bottle…
“This is why I don’t go certain places, to avoid trouble – don’t be there in the first place.
I didn’t use a side street, I pulled a 180 in the middle of the road. There was another car blocking that cross street. I was doing about 80 mph when I hit the brakes and took that hard right at about 55 , my speedometer only goes to 85 , and it pegged when I hit that long stretch back there...â€
"Oh my, you were going faster than 85?"
"Yep"
“Oh…this was not a good idea of mine was it?â€
“Nope, anywhere else you need to see, any other errands we need to attend to?â€
“I’m ready to go home nowâ€
We get her home -“about that security stuff you want me to do around the house…â€
“And what did you say about keeping safe when I do so and soâ€
“So I need to change what I do, how I do it, and pay attention you say?â€
I had to assure I was not mad at her, just when I get in a certain mindset, and I am focused in a state of awareness, well that is the way I am.
I have a feeling she may be a bit more receptive about some of my concerns, like car-jackings going on around here, following elderly folks home from the Drug Store, and such.
I don’t recommend taking your elderly parents for such a ride, I do suggest educating them about how real today's world is though.