Charlie, 89 years old, has been a widower for two years. He continues to live alone, with his bedroom on the second floor, cooking small meals for himself. . An interesting thing happened recently while I was visiting my 87 and 90 year old parents who live across the street from Charlie.

My folks and I were sitting on the lawn swing, when Charlie ventured across the street to join us. After casual chatting for a while about the “usual things”, my Mom, who’s been very attentive to the development of Ageless Dreamer, blurted out: “So, Charlie, do you have a dream?” Lo and behold, Charlie mumbled a little about having done “pretty much” everything he wanted to do in his life. “Just a little lonely now that Claire is gone.” He had cared for his wife at home for four years before she died from Alzheimer’s. Do the neighbors next to you every visit?, I asked. “Nope. Not even a wave. They’re 30-something year olds. Don’t care or even notice. Just your folks, here. Your Mom makes a little extra food for meals and brings me over a plate. And your Dad – well, he mows my lawn with his tractor, and when he opens the barn door there I know it’s ok for me to come over and sit and visit awhile.”

With the silence hanging a little heavy on the squeaking swing, I decided to see if I could keep the conversation going light and alive, so I asked Charlie: What did you used to do together with Claire? He turned his head to look at me and a gentle grin appeared on his face as he said, much to the surprise of even my parents: “Bowl”.
And he wasn’t talking about a bowl of cereal. And now you know the rest of the story … will be in my first book!
Copyright Laurie Widmark 2009