Happy 80th Birthday, Elvis!

How do I know? Well, they were discussing it in the activity room/dining hall today.  The Activity Director had everyone in a circle and read facts about Elvis’s life.  His father’s name was Vernon and had actually been in prison at one point as well as falling on hard times in general, and as I heard the name mentioned, I asked Vernon if they were talking about him.  “It’s NOT me…it’s NOT me! It’s a different Vernon,” he said to me and quickly to those around him, just in case they thought he was a bit rougher than he appeared.

The Activity Director had everyone play a little game of filling in the blank of a bunch of Elvis songs:  Blue Suede _____, _________ Hotel, Are you _________ Tonight, etc. There were two men in particular in the circle, whom I’d had yet to hear speak who knew all the answers, and were quick to give them.  I suppose the age would be right, that these guys would have listened to a lot Elvis Presley in their day. Of course they would remember those things, even when other details in their minds had vanished.

I had a small speaker with me, so I plugged it into my phone so they could hear some Elvis songs online while they got ready to be served lunch.  Vernon was sitting with different ladies this time…one who had trouble speaking, and one who just kept laughing when I asked her questions but had no words.  When “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” came on, they both started mouthing the words. It wanted to sing the song directly to one of them, but knew I would fall apart if I held her eye for long, so I giggled through as we ‘sang’ together.  Vernon surprised me most of all by singing the words out loud.  I used to tell him he would probably be a good singer if he ever actually opened his mouth to sing.  But he was always too shy.  Well, I guess his time has come. Thank you, Elvis!

Here’s Vernon rocking his own Blue Suede Shoes.  For weeks he had been asking for me to bring him shoes and I kept shrugging it off as I thought it would give him the idea that he was going home soon.  He couldn’t walk in them anyway. But I finally brought a pair in before Christmas, and he’s worn them every single time he is out of bed. I guess they make him feel more complete…the truth is, they make him look more complete too.  I am now taking his requests more seriously.

I also told Vernon  about the tragic shooting in Paris yesterday. I know the old Vernon would have cared a lot about that story.  I was a little nervous if I should be bringing negativity into his space, but I miss talking to him about World Events. I told it to him pretty simply, and Vernon looked so upset, but he was tracking and wanted to know more.  He was terribly sad, and I had to decide if I should tell him more.  Whether it was right or wrong, I dove in with some of the big bad news of the summer till now, things he had missed: A plane shot down in the Ukraine, the Gaza-Israel Conflict, The Horror of Isis…that only got us up to August. He kept asking why the Police weren’t doing their jobs.  Hmmm,  I think most of these things are a little outside of Police power.   I could see he was glazing over a bit…which is exactly the correct reaction to too much bad news.  I feel the same way in my heart most of the time, even if I try to keep my mind engaged.

Though I only gave him a little update, he couldn’t fathom that so much had happened in the months he’d been “absent.”  His response was great: “Wow, time passes so much more quickly here than it does in England.”

After that Vernon just wanted to chill out and watch some interview show on TV (but NOT the news.)  I set up my computer to do some work, and we listened to music together for awhile….just like we used to do.