The Drama Vibe

[smokingboot]

Once it arrives, it brings its friends.

Yesterday was not as easy as the day before, bad thoughts occluded her expressions, she was quick to take offence at passing waiters and old memories; but she saw family again and continued to eat well; the magic of tapas! A small pork steak, a delicious big sugary cream cake, jamon, cheese, crisps ,many olives. Not as much vegetable or fruit as I would like but better than her usual daily diet. I am so glad I was never a mother, I couldn’t worry like this for years and years.

Autumn arrived properly in the old barrio, with a thunderstorm erupting right overhead, and raindrops big as thumbnails turning the roads to streams. Fam sat in the cafe talking and laughing, when Bro phoned with a strange new drama of his own.

Bro’s dear friend , call him F, is very ill with Parkinson’s. Bro held power of attorney for him for a while, but as Bro’s first move was to try and get F into sheltered accommodation including a bed with a mattress less infused with organic apocalypse, they quarrelled fast, and Bro had something like two heart incidents out of what he is convinced was sheer frustration. So F changed the power of attorney to his sister, and the old friendship was fine. Cue yesterday, when a care worker found F seemingly dead in his flat, spoke to the neighbour who phoned Bro, Bro raced across to the flat, phoning the sister to tell her. The sister told him not to go, that it was ‘against the family’s wishes,’ and Bro replied bluntly that he was going in. Her son appeared and threatened Bro, Bro wouldn’t have it and entered the flat cos the doors were open. There was F perfectly alive! Relief all round! Only F has asked Bro to get help agencies involved plus the police. So that’s what he did. The sister threatened to report Bro to the police for home invasion, and they appear to have had some kind of text contretemps. Silly really. If Bro thinks the sister and her son are doing something untoward, the last thing he should do is telegraph it. But he was very angry and thinks some foul play had occurred.

Two things for me; how did the care worker misdiagnose a death and why was her first recourse to talk to a neighbour? Surely there is a process for this?

Bro mentioned all this to Mum which I don’t think was wise at all, but angry people are seldom smart. I will tell her everything is fine, and get her to eat more before I catch the plane. Later I will sleep for a long while without a single incident more dramatic than a cat jumping on me for cuddles.

Comments

[mallorys_camera]

That is intensely strange about F, and yes, the events he described to you sure suggest some sort of elder abuse.

But also, yes. Not wise to talk about these things with yr mother.

Glad she's doing better. So maybe the deal is she'll eat if she doesn't have to prepare her own food? I wonder if you could work out a deal with the restaurant...

[smokingboot]

Re Mum, I think that the magic of tapas works because it is potentially very communal; she can't believe they are out to poison her if a random plate of food turns up for more than one person. But the moment it's a set thing, like a certain person is cooking for her regularly at a certain time, she will start to imagine they are poisoning her. My aunt is constantly inviting her to eat round at her place. She nods and says she will think about it but never goes. She relies on supplements a lot.

Re Bro, it is very strange for sure. My suspicion is that something is well off. What care worker finds someone seemingly dead and doesn't phone an ambulance/police or even the head of their support team, but goes chats to a neighbour?

[mallorys_camera]

That's very fishy about the careworker finding him dead.

Do forgive my obsession with giving (possibly annoying) advice. I do it 'cause I ❤️ you! Might it be possible to arrange & pay for Mum to take an evening meal at the restaurant a few times a week?

[smokingboot]

I love you too! Don't worry, I do not mind advice. Sometimes my head feels like a big empty cavern.

Mum would never go to the same restaurant repeatedly. It would be a matter of time before the poisoning issue would re-emerge, it's a big theme for her.

[flemmings]

Sympathy is all I can offer, but you have mine.

[smokingboot]

Thank you. It's been insane, but now I am home, and my brain has stopped frying.