Confession #8- I love old people.

I'm not talking about dating older guys, or whatever. Which I was into for a while, but I'm talking about the population living in nursing homes, experiencing what it's like to be confined to a wheelchair, or being spoon-fed your dinner. I mean, not all "old" people are doing these things, but my favorite are.
I went and visited a nursing home about a week ago, and decided to pick the dementia ward. You know, the place full of people who have developed some kind of memory or brain dysfunction? Well, anyway, I walked in, and immediately fell in love with an old man in a ball cap with a basketball on the front. Not literal love mind you, but I just knew we were meant to be friends. I walked up to him and introduced myself. This is how the conversation went:
"Hi! My name is Hannah- what's yours?"
"I'm Garth."
"Oh, well Garth where are you from?"
(He looks around slightly confused.)
"Are you from here, Garth?" I kind of prodded.
"Yes, here yes. I like rocks."
"Oh, you like rocks? Was that your job? Looking at rocks?"
"Yes, yes I like rocks. There are many kinds of rocks. Rocks are good, they do so many good things for so many people. Rocks, rocks, rocks..."
At this point, I looked over beside us, and saw a woman sitting in a chair rocking a baby doll. I got up from my conversation with Garth to speak with her a little bit. She looked up at me as I walked over to kneel down beside her.
"Hi! My name is Hannah- what's yours?"
(Inaudible muttering.)
"Oh, well do you like rocking babies? Do you have some of your own?"
(More inaudible muttering.)
At this point in time, Garth had wheeled himself over to where I was talking to this woman- which I later found out is named Isla- and began to start conversation with us.
Garth: "Do you like rocks? Rocks are so good, they do so many good things for so many people. Rocks, rocks, and rocks. There are many types, igneous. I like rocks."
Isla: (More muttering)
Me: "Do you have children Garth?"
Garth: (As he takes off his hat and points to it) "Yes, I have one-two-three-four-five and six. Rocks on the floor, and rocks over here. Rocks are everywhere. All kinds."
Isla: (While staring into my eyes, and said very softly) "I just don't know what they're going to do about the store, they don't sell enough to keep it together. She asked me what I thought, and I told her to stop, I didn't know. All those people. All those people."
Me: "Garth? Are you a basketball player?" (I then pointed to the basketball on his hat)
Right as Garth began to answer, Isla's eyes went a little cockeye, and she looked slightly crazy. She frantically tossed the baby doll onto the floor, sat up in her seat and practically screamed for the busy nursing home front room to hear: "YOU HAD AN AFFAIR WITH THE MAYOR?"
At this point in time the whole room turned and looked at me- some in disgust, some in confusion, and some just had no idea why everyone was looking and just didn't want to be left out. Garth slowly wheeled away from me, and then Isla picked up her baby doll from the floor and went back to rocking her back and forth. Everyone within a few minutes went back to whatever they were doing whether it was picking at their dinner, or watching a movie. And just like that, all was forgotten. I love the dementia ward almost as much as I love old people.