What's the Point

Bedford Home for the Aged is located in Chatham, New Hampshire. It was orginally an Victorian house that has been converted into a nursing home. It was built in the eighteen hundreds and has a wrap-around porch with a sky-blue ceiling and a battleship grey floor. It faces east and often receives a cool easterly breeze, so many of the occupants don’t use it much. It’s too cold for the elderly.  The only steady customer is Earl. Earl likes to be alone, so the coolness suits him just fine. People think that Earl is a grump. That is not the case. He just doesn’t talk. He’ll say yes or no but not much else. He sits in a rocking chair on the porch most of the year, looking out over the lake. Today is his ninety-ninth birthday, and Earls is angry. Not at anyone, in particular. All his family and friends have died. Earl is alone in the world.

Nurse Ellen comes out on the porch, pulling her sweater close around her. “It’s a bit chilly today, Earl. Can I get you anything? A blanket, maybe?” Earl responds, “Coco.”   Ellen smiles, “What’s that? You’d like a hot chocolate?” Earl scrunches up his face and barks, “The cat!” 

“Oh, him. Well, as you know, Earl, Coco is a fairly independent fellow. He comes and goes as he pleases. I’m afraid you’ll just have to wait to see if he’ll show up today. I hope he does, it being your birthday and all.” No response. “Well, I’ve got rounds to do. I’ll swing back later and see how you’re doing.” With that, Ellen walks over to Earl’s rocking chair and kisses him on his head. “Happy birthday, Earl.” Earl’s only response is to start rocking.

Earl watches Ellen out of the corner of his eye until she returns inside. “Humph! Happy birthday. I haven’t had a happy birthday for over twenty years! I’m ninety-nine, for God’s sake! What’s He keepin’ me alive for? Am I suddenly going to start leading people to Christ? I doubt it !” Earl is angry. 

“It’s my son’s fault that I’m still alive. I hate to do this, Dad. But it’s for your own good. I travel too much, this way there will be people to take care of you. You know, make sure you remember to take your pills, eat right, and get some exercise. I can’t do all that. Like I said, I travel too much. Three years later, the son of a bitch dropped dead. That was fifteen years ago, and I’m still here. I’m forced to continue living because there are people to give me my pills, cook my meals, and slap a balloon around for exercise!" Earl is angry. “Aw, it ain’t Bob’s fault. He was right. He did travel too much for the job. I told him a hundred times to quit. It’s too stressful, I told him. It’s gonna kill ya! Well, it did. Sorry, son, I miss ya.”  Earl stares at the lake. “What the hell! I’m ninety-nine with nothing to do! I mean, what’s the point, God? You got some big plans for me or what?”

Earl hears some rustling in the shrubs to the left side of the porch. All at once, Coco appears and strolls over to Earl’s rocking chair like it’s nobody’s business. Coco is, as you can imagine, chocolate brown with yellow eyes. Coco circles around then chair to leaps on Earl’s shoulder. Earl looks sideways at the cat. “It’s about time you showed up, you miserable bastard. Why don’t you jump down here to my lap where I can see you?” It was almost as if the cat understood. He jumps off Earl’s shoulder and lands on his lap. Coco immediately begins kneading himself a soft spot. Earl nearly smiles, but he doesn’t because he is angry.

“Do you know why I like you, Coco? It’s because you and I are alike. People talk to us all day long, but we don’t listen. And do you know why? It’s because we don’t give a shit, that’s why. At my age, people don’t talk to you, they yell questions at you. “Would you like a blanket, Mr. Roy? Can I get you a cup of tea? And my favorite is Would you like a bath? It’s been a while.”  “Well, who’s fault is that? So unless they actually would like to have a conversation, I keep my mouth shut.

Besides, half the people here can’t have a conversation because they have that new disease. What’s it called? Oh yeah, Old Timers. In my day, it was called hardening of the arteries or senility. The rest are just blissfully unaware that death is glued to their backs, waiting to take them away to Valhalla at any second. I swear I’ve seen more people die in front of me here in the last fifteen years than I did on the frontlines in Europe! Every other day, it seems that someone leaves here feet first, but not me! God! What’s your point? Did you create us to live long, regretful lives just so that when we die, we can spend the rest of eternity singing your praise for how good you are to us? I don’t get it.” Earl pauses. “Well, I can’t say it was all regrets. I did meet my wife, Sissy. That was her nickname, but she was like a sister to many people. Always helping out, giving her time and herself to community and church causes. But good old Fate can’t let you be too happy, so he sent cancer to take her away from us, from me.” Sighing deeply, Earl drops his head and pats the cat. “ And what’s with this growing old business? I thought we were created in His image. Does that mean that God is some balding, nearsighted, lame guy sitting up in heaven? No wonder He doesn’t seem to answer prayers. He’s hard of hearing too!” Earl has just described himself.

Nurse Ellen appears just as she said she would. “Earl. It’s almost time for supper. Can I help you to get ready?” Earl narrows his eyes. “Is it that late already?”

“Yup!” Ellen cheerfully responds. “I’ll get your walker.” She helps Earl stand, and the two head to the dining room. Earl spies the clock on the wall and notices it is only four-thirty.

“Did you say it’s suppertime? Then that clock must be slow.” Ellen acts surprised, “So it is! I’ll have to look into that. Here we are!”

When Ellen pushes open the doors, everyone shouts, “Surprise! Happy Birthday, Earl!”

Earl gasps and he scowls. Ellen places a birthday hat on his head that reads, Birthday Boy. Everyone else is wearing party hats, too. They all look at Earl with anticipation of a good time. A large cake with ninety-nine candles glows in the middle of the table. Earl looks at everyone, his eyes moist. “You know you all look like complete idiots, right?” A round of laughter and applause spread around the room, and Earl can't help but grin. Earl realizes that even at ninty-nine there can still be moments of joy.