Describe a time when you have helped an elderly person.
I was a teenager, about 15, when I met Crazy Mary. Everyone knew her as crazy Mary in the neighborhood except for me. This was our first meeting. I was walking the Avenue with some friends when Crazy Mary came out of the Park, "Oh please" she said "Please won't one of you young people help me?" The other kids who were already acquainted with Mary wanted nothing to do with her. They laughed and giggled and joked about how Mary was somewhere between 70 and death. Still, I couldn't turn away. She had this pleading look in her tired brown eyes and she was even shorter than me (I was 5'2) so she seemed pathetic and needy.
I followed Mary into the park and to the other side. Her house was just on the other side of the fence.
"what do you need help with?" I asked.
"Please get rid of that dead bird in my shrubs".
"There's a dead bird in your shrubs?"
"Yes, don't you see it?" she asked walking to her house "I'll get you something to put it in"
Of course by now I wished I had followed my friends and not gotten myself involved with this woman. I couldn't find a dead bird. I looked on her shrubs, in her shrubs and under her shrubs, no dead bird. Finally Mary said puzzled "I could have sworn there was a dead bird in there....do you think a cat got to it?"
I shook my head "I really don't know Mary".
I ended up trimming Mary's shrubs and helping her put out her garbage. I must have been there a good hour at least before I finally left.
A week or two later I ran into Crazy Mary on the Avenue again and she didn't even recognize me. That was okay though I knew I had done what I thought was right. Maybe she just needed someone to care about her for an hour or so of her life.
Comments
Some people just need that little bit of attention. Thank you for answering my request Moonchild60.
nice job
what a nice person you are...I often do things like that too. It is sad that she didn't remember you. Perhaps she suffered from dimentia or alzheimer's. But as you said, you weren't looking to be praised by anyone...you were happy knowing that you did a good thing for someone...and a good thing you did do!!! Wonderful hub!
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Thank you dwilliamson for reminding me of poor Mary. Thank you C.C. and thank you LAmatadora. I think you may be right, I wouldn't have understood it then, but I do think she suffered from dimentia or something like that. Poor thing.
You are beautiful . I am now a fan regards brownlickie
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Dear Brownlickie - How sweet and thoughtful to say that!! Thank you so much for your wonderful compliment. I look forward to seeing you around the Hubs...
..see previous comment at your 50th birthday hub!
You have just helped me to go back 33 years ......
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epi (Is it okay if I call you Epi?) - Well I must say, I do hope it was a wonderful journey!!
thx finally find an essay and i love it :))))
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Thank you nighchild!!!
That was just beautiful. Not enough people help out the elderly today, especially the young ones. Children of today just don't get it.
I helped an elderly lady a few years back. I was at a local shopping centre and this lady fell over. She must have been about 70 -80 years old.
The lady was bleeding from the head and laying on the cold cement footpath. I was a fair distance from her but started running. As I was running, I saw 5 people walk around her and keep going. Not one of those people stopped, to see if she was ok. I had arrived and yelled at the next person, that went to walk past. I told them to go and get help, as I did not want to leave her. The lady needed stitches but was ok. Turns out she had cancer and did not have much time left. Found this out through my chat with her.
This subject gets my blood boiling but you should be very proud of yourself Moonchild60. You blessed that lady with a bit of listening time. :D
Bless you and your kind heart.
Beautiful and up
Cheers Skellie
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Oh thank you so much Skellie. I know, when you see people ignoring others in need, it makes you so angry and more determined to do what is right. Still it is so shocking and frightening and you worry, if I were on the ground would anyone help me? You did what you just naturally knew in your heart was the right thing. (But only people with good hearts in the first place feel that). You obviously are one of those people! : D
You did a good deed there, missy. We should help anybody who needs our help, even if they are crazy—even if they won't remember it. You delivered a fine message here. Well done!
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Thank You James! : D You always put a big smile on my face. I like that about you.
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