Gae

It's Spring Break.
More on that later.
Today we had plans to visit "The Old Folks" home and play some piano for them.
We've done this once before and the kids loved it, so Cami made the plans.

When I came in I sat right down on the nearest seat while the children began their lineup of performances. I held Grace on my lap.
I sat by a lady in stripes.  I said hello and patted her back.

Her name is Gae. She's originally from California. The town escapes her memory, as did various pieces of her life. Sometimes I could fill in the blanks, sometimes we just moved on.  The children kept playing and Gae would quit talking to clap for each performer.  A woman seated just in front of us in a wheelchair shushed us once, twice, three times.  I would throw Cami my "what do I do" face and she'd just smile at me. Around the 3rd performance she told me I looked like her daughter, a young sweet face.  Maybe it's just my face, but I doubt it.  This isn't the first time I've been told by an elderly person that I look like their daughter.  I think they're searching for familiarities.  I'm happy they find them in my face.

She just gazed at Grace and smiled. She told me that children are her favorite.  Grace said absolutely nothing she just stared.  Gae knew Grace found her unfamiliar and it made her giggle.  "Who is this old woman I'm sitting by" she'd say in a little voice.

Gae told me about her children.  Mostly she talked about Lavonne (my look-alike).  I asked how many children she had.  She named each of her fingers, beginning with Lavonne, and without missing a beat she hit her fifth finger and said, "You."  I laughed out loud.  "Surprised me too", she said and giggled.  I'm laughing now just thinking about her quick wit.  Our friend up front spoke up a bit more with "Will you be quiet!", but Gae would pick the conversation right back up when the clapping ended. She gave me her ideas she'd be sharing with the staff.  These children need more praise when they perform.  She'd tell the staff to clap for the children when they walked in the front door.

Grace hopped off my lap and stood by Asher. He gave her a hug.  Gae told me how she loved to see brothers treat their little sisters so loving. "Oh, look at me I'm tearing up," she said.  I searched for a tissue to give our friend a break from the talking.

When the performances were over I asked Gae about the heart shaped necklace she wore.
"It's from my boyfriend", she said.
I raised my eyebrows and smiled.
"Hard to believe I know," she said and we both laughed.

She waved us out to the door and hers was the last face I saw.  What a lady. Can't wait for our next performance. I want to sit by Gae.