“He who sings scares away his woes.”  Cervantes

Karaoke.  That was the ‘activity’ in the rec room/dining hall of the subacute today.  Vernon and I thought, why not? Its not like we had anything better to do.

I don’t know if its a bi-monthly thing or what, but the sweet Activity Director that runs the microphone mentioned that though she is the only one who usually sings, she always offers a chance to any willing performers between songs.  Most of the folks who had been wheeled around the TV for the entertainment didn’t seem capable of singing into a microphone.  (But then isn’t that the way most people feel, disabled or not?)

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David is a heavy metal fan, so he had a go at an Aerosmith song, but he got frustrated at how slow the background music was.  He also couldn’t believe that Metallica still wasn’t on the playlist.

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I’ve always found Karaoke so intimidating. I tried once, but giggled embarrassed through the whole thing.  I can’t complete with the pros that frequent the Karaoke bars.  So since no one else was biting, I took the microphone. Let me just say it was a very kind audience.

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I had a great time, fumbling through songs I thought we might all know:  The Beatles, Carpenters, Mamas and Papas.  The little old lady at my elbow began to smile at me as if I was singing to her…and so I did!  Then I noticed another start to wave her hands in a dance and mouth some of the words.  This gave me the confidence to bust out my  best Janis Joplin, till now reserved only for long road trips with very close friends.

Thanks ladies and gentlemen, I’ll be here all week.

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One more thing.

I finally brought in the Soccer Ball that Vernon’s Unofficial San Clemente Soccer Team personalized for him back in the early days of his coma. It had come home with me when he left the hospital, but this was the first day he had seen it himself.  He seemed to be quite moved as I read him the notes and names.  He still doesn’t understand how long he has been in his situation, but he is beginning to realize that people care about him and are wishing him well. He was still holding the ball when I left in the afternoon.

 

 

 

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