How Long Do We Really Have? A Lesson Learned. MissC.

I work as a floater teller. I travel from bank to bank, and am a "Substitute" of sorts. Well, the bank I am working at lately (A LOT lately) is in the Retirement Center of the world. All you see is elderly people driving around in golf carts (No lie, they come thru the teller line and to the bank, and EVERYWHERE else in Golf Carts) and LONG cars, and with doggies.

Anyway, normally the other tellers and I will laugh at them. NOT TO BE CRUEL, it is just that sometimes you have to laugh not to get frustrated. And we would NEVER laugh in someones face for being fogetfull, or slow, or a little on the "Talking to myself" side of life. We take good care of our customers, we are patient and caring towards them, it is just like I said tho, someitmes you have to laugh not to get frustrated.

OK, SO... The other day I was going to Eckerds. I was pulling around the corner, and just as I parked my car, an elderly woman fell from the curb face first onto the pavement. I was SO SCARED! I jumped out of my car and ran over to her. She didn't move at first, and I was about to panic, I started to dial 911 from my cell phone and called into the store that someone was hurt.

But before I could finish dialing she looked up, and started to try and get up to her feet again. She couldn't. She just sat there, and I told her not to move. She sat up a little and I took a tissue from my purse and started to wipe the blood away from her eyes, and nose. Her legs were banged up pretty bad too. She didn't say anything to me. Just looked at me with one of the most terrified faces I have ever seen. She was so scared, she was crying. I almost cried with her.

Anyway, the store clerks came out and treated her as thought they were used to this sort of thing. They were very caring and compassionatte. I am sure much more than I could ever have been, I was too scared. They told me it would be alright, and they called 911. As the other elderly people passed her by, they would pat her on the back, and tell her she would be ok. They were very supportive. It was rather touching to watch.

But here is the thing. All I keep seeing were her eyes. Those poor, scared, lonely eyes. It made me realize just how delicate these people are. How delicate we all are. It made me realize, that these are not just "Old People", they are PEOPLE. Just because they are a little slower, or forgetful, or just because they are some are senile, and some can't see to drive, doesn't make them any less human.

I am afraid of growing so old, that I can not see to drive, or so forgetful that I may leave the coffee pot on one morning and burn my house down. I am afraid of forgetting the faces of my family and friends. I am afraid of the pain, and the knowledge that you time is coming to an end.

Oddly enuff, I am not actually afraid of THE END though.

But, that incident just made me really think. And ot made me come to a very important decision. I NEVER want to live in a retirement home, or a retirement town. And I never want to live alone when I age to little MissC. Prune. I want to be around my friends and family for as long as I can.

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