P
pbocciardi
UPDATE EMAIL ADDRESS
I know that all of us who are lucky enough to have gotten our cars can attest to how happy they've made us feel. But I just found out how happy my car could make someone ELSE feel.
My father has Alzheimer's Disease, and he lives at home with my mother, who cares for him. Unfortunately, because of his illness, my poor saint of a mother has very little life of her own. Because she is house-bound with him, she loves it when any of her three children can visit and provide her with company. Luckily, all of us siblings live within a couple hours' drive, and we see them as often as we possibly can.
A couple of weekends ago, I went to visit my parents and hoped to give my mother a ride in the T-Bird for the first time. Luckily, someone was able to stay with my father for a couple of hours, and I took my 68-year-old mom out on the road in Lake County, CA. As we rounded our very first bend, the driver of an approaching car gave us the thumbs-up and leaned out his window and yelled praise for the car -- kind of par for the course for me by now, but an incredible experience for my mother! She got the hugest grin on her face and said, "Was he looking at your car?" and I explained the reaction I typically get. From that point on, she didn't stop checking out every single person who drove or walked by, just to see if they were looking. She pointed them out; she exclaimed; she smiled and waved back at them; and she actually kicked up her legs and yelled, over and over, "I absolutely LOVE this!" I have not seen my mother that delighted, and that free, in years.
I actually went in another room and cried when we got back to the house.
After I left that weekend, my mother e-mailed me that she missed seeing "Tweety" in her garage. I have vowed to take that car to see her as often as I possibly can.
My father has Alzheimer's Disease, and he lives at home with my mother, who cares for him. Unfortunately, because of his illness, my poor saint of a mother has very little life of her own. Because she is house-bound with him, she loves it when any of her three children can visit and provide her with company. Luckily, all of us siblings live within a couple hours' drive, and we see them as often as we possibly can.
A couple of weekends ago, I went to visit my parents and hoped to give my mother a ride in the T-Bird for the first time. Luckily, someone was able to stay with my father for a couple of hours, and I took my 68-year-old mom out on the road in Lake County, CA. As we rounded our very first bend, the driver of an approaching car gave us the thumbs-up and leaned out his window and yelled praise for the car -- kind of par for the course for me by now, but an incredible experience for my mother! She got the hugest grin on her face and said, "Was he looking at your car?" and I explained the reaction I typically get. From that point on, she didn't stop checking out every single person who drove or walked by, just to see if they were looking. She pointed them out; she exclaimed; she smiled and waved back at them; and she actually kicked up her legs and yelled, over and over, "I absolutely LOVE this!" I have not seen my mother that delighted, and that free, in years.
I actually went in another room and cried when we got back to the house.
After I left that weekend, my mother e-mailed me that she missed seeing "Tweety" in her garage. I have vowed to take that car to see her as often as I possibly can.
