5 mn read

“Hello, Mum.”

“Hello, dear. I haven’t heard from you in ages.”

“I rang you last week.”

“Did you? I can’t remember.”

“It doesn’t matter. How are you?”

“Bored and lonely. I’m stuck in this room on my own all day. If they take me downstairs, they sit me with a load of old people who have dementia and nobody talks to me! They all just stare at me. I don’t have dementia, you know.”

“I know, Mum.”

“Have you seen my room here?”

“Yes, Mum. I’ve seen it several times.”

“It’s not bad, a good size, and from my window I can see treetops and funny big white birds that fly in and out of the trees all day. I don’t know what they are. Have you seen my room?”

“Yes, Mum.”

“I wish you would get me a phone. I’ll pay. Everyone else here has a phone, to call their relatives and friends. I have to wait for someone to bring me the house phone. Why won’t you let me have a phone?”

“Because you don’t know how to work it, Mum, and the staff can’t be in and out of your room all day, helping you with it. They’re very busy.”

“How dare you! I DO know how to work a phone! I’ve worked in offices, you know, and we had phones there.”

“Mum, that was a long time ago! Phones are a lot different now.”

“Where are you phoning from?”

“I’m at home, Mum.”

“At the house?”

“No, at my house.”

“Where is that again?”

“Hampton Court, Mum.”

“Oh, yes. I miss the house. The other house. Why can’t I go back there?”

“You’re much safer where you are, Mum. You need lots of care, now, and it’s expensive to have the carers visit you at home.”

“I have plenty of money! Someone must be stealing it!”

“No, they’re not, Mum. It costs to have you staying where you are, as well, you know.”

“I think I’ll go now. I don’t like this conversation.”

“OK, Mum. ‘Bye.”

*****************

“Hello, Mum.”

“Hello, dear. I haven’t heard from you in ages.”

“I rang you last week.”

“Did you? I can’t remember.”

“It doesn’t matter. How are you?”

“Bored and lonely. I’m stuck in this room on my own all day. If they take me downstairs, they sit me with a load of old people who have dementia and nobody talks to me! They all just stare at me. I don’t have dementia, you know.”

“I know, Mum.”

“Have you seen my room here?”

“Yes, Mum. I’ve seen it several times.”

“It’s not bad, a good size, and from my window I can see treetops and funny big white birds that fly in and out of the trees all day. I don’t know what they are. Have you seen my room?”

“Yes, Mum.”

“I wish you would get me a phone. I’ll pay. Everyone else here has a phone, to call their relatives and friends. I have to wait for someone to bring me the house phone. Why won’t you let me have a phone?”

“Because you don’t know how to work it, Mum, and the staff can’t be in and out of your room all day, helping you with it. They’re very busy.”

“How dare you! I DO know how to work a phone! I’ve worked in offices, you know, and we had phones there.”

“Mum, that was a long time ago! Phones are a lot different now.”

“I want to go back to the house. There’s a phone there. I was only supposed to be recovering from my fall, yet I’ve been here months and months, now.”

“That’s because of Covid, Mum. The pandemic. Nobody could go anywhere, remember?”

“Oh, yes. That. I can go home now, though, can’t I? I’ve had all my jabs.”

“It’s still not safe, Mum. You’re much better off where you are, believe me. Let’s change the subject. What did you have to eat, today?”

“I can’t remember. I think there’s a new chef, here. The food’s not as good.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll bring you some more of those nice biscuits you like, next time I come.”

“Can you come today?”

“No, Mum. I’m at home. My home. It’s about 90 miles away. We’ll be down to see you soon. I’ll bring some more photos with me. You liked looking at those before, didn’t you? You remembered who everyone was, too!”

“Oh yes, was it you who brought those? I thought it was my other daughter. I have two daughters, you know.”

“I know, Mum.”

“Are you my eldest daughter?”

“Yes, Mum.”

“How old are you now?”

“I’m 62.”

“Sixty-two! I can’t believe I have a daughter that old. I remember the day you were born. How old is my other daughter?”

“She’s 60 now, Mum.”

“How old am I?”

“You’ll be 90 in June, Mum.”

“It’s not possible!”

“I know. Time flies.”

“Where are you phoning from? The house?”

“Home, Mum. My home. I told you.”

“And is everything all right with you? You haven’t had the Covid, have you?”

“No, we’re fine, don’t worry about us.”

“I’ve forgotten your partner’s name…”

“It’s Allan, Mum.”

“Allan. Of course. Are you both OK? Have either of you had the Covid?”

“You just asked me that, Mum.”

“I don’t have dementia, you know.”

“I know, Mum. You’re just getting forgetful.”

“I’m going now. Goodbye.”

“’Bye, Mum.”

***********************

“Hello, Mum.”

“Hello, dear. I haven’t heard from you in ages.”

“I rang you last week.”

“Did you? I can’t remember.”

“It doesn’t matter. How are you?”

“Bored and lonely. I’m stuck in this room on my own all day. If they take me downstairs, they sit me with a load of old people who have dementia and nobody talks to me! They all just stare at me. I don’t have dementia, you know.”

“I know, Mum.”

“Have you seen my room here?”

“Yes, Mum. I’ve seen it several times.”

“It’s not bad, a good size, and from my window I can see treetops and funny big white birds that fly in and out of the trees all day. I don’t know what they are. Have you seen my room?”

“Yes, Mum.”

“I wish you would get me a phone. I’ll pay. Everyone else here has a phone, to call their relatives and friends. I have to wait for someone to bring me the house phone. Why won’t you let me have a phone?”

“Because you don’t know how to work it, Mum, and the staff can’t be in and out of your room all day, helping you with it. They’re very busy.”

“How dare you! I DO know how to work a phone! I’ve worked in offices, you know, and we had phones there.”

“Mum, that was a long time ago! Phones are a lot different now.”

“Where are you phoning from?”

“I’m at home, Mum.”

“At the house?”

“No, at my house.”

“Where is that again?”

“Hampton Court, Mum.”

“Oh, yes. I miss the house. The other house. Why can’t I go back there?”

“Oh, Mum! We’ve talked about this before, so many times. Can we please just talk about something else today? Have you had any visitors lately?”

“Yes, a very handsome young man came to see me the other day. My grandson. I haven’t seen him for years. He’s grown into such a good-looking young man. He won’t have any trouble finding a girlfriend.”

“Mum, you have seen him. Many times. He’s married with two children now. Remember?”

“Oh, yes! Silly me. I forgot. I do forget things sometimes.”

“We all do that, Mum.”

“But I don’t have dementia, you know.”

“I know, Mum.”