I turned to Ed, who was in his usual spot, a comfortable rocking chair out on the front porch, and asked him, “So Ed, tell me how you ended up moving into our community.” Ed was a talker. His two favorite topics Notre Dame football and the perfect sandwich, which according to Ed was an authentic Italian sub with thinly chopped lettuce drowned in oil and vinegar and seasoned with liberal doses of salt and pepper.
Ed’s face lit up and he launched into his tale. “Well, my wife passed away a few years ago and I was living on my own in our three bedroom house. My sons had been after me for about a year or so to move somewhere that could help me with cooking and cleaning and things. I was a pretty fiercely independent guy, though. I liked doing my own thing and felt like I was handling the house pretty well.” He paused and turned to me conspiratorially, “Don’t tell my sons this, but one day I almost burned down the house. I was cooking something on the stove and watching television at the same time. I completely forgot about the stove until I smelled the smoke.”
Ed continued telling me about himself, and not surprisingly he shared that he really loved to be around people. “I used to drive down to the senior center every day just to talk to people. It started to get a little frustrating, though, because sometimes I’d get all the way down there only to find no one was around.” Ed once again leaned over to me and whispered, “Don’t tell my sons this, either, but one day I almost drove the car through the garage door. You see, I thought the car was in reverse but it was actually in drive. That’s when I decided it was probably time to move. Now I’m here and I finally feel retired. You know why? I don’t have to cook for myself. I don’t have to clean my apartment. And the best part? I’ve got over a hundred different people I can talk to every day. Sometimes it pays to listen to your sons, I guess.”
Does Ed’s story ring true for you or someone you love? At Quail Park, we want our residents to continue to live and thrive, to build new friendships, to live a life of purpose and service, to laugh and learn. Stop by and check us out.
Visit us online at www.QPOroValley.com/sp or call 520-355-2595 for more information.