‘It’s only us mum.’
‘How did you get in son?’
‘There is a keybox outside your door, we insert the code and use the key that’s in it.’
‘Oh well, I’m glad you’re here, I haven’t seen a soul for ages and I’m desperate for a cup of tea.’
‘Jen and I will get the kettle on, we brought in some donuts, just washing our hands first.’
‘Aye well, do behind your ears as well, I don’t want to see any tidemarks.’
‘Okay mum, but you can put your hanky away, you won’t need to wipe my face with it!’
Giggles emanate from the sitting room.
‘Oh it’s so lovely to see that cup of tea, and you. Here Jen, you come over and sit by me or I’ll not hear what you’re saying. I hope that’s a fudge donut.’
‘Yes,’ says Jen, ‘we popped into Fisher and Donaldson’s on the way here.’
‘Bless you dear, you are always so kind to me. Nobody else comes near’
‘What’s he reading? He comes to see me then doesn’t even talk to me. He doesn’t realise how lonely his wee mother is, sitting here all day with no one to talk to. Mmmm, this is delish Jen, you are wonderful. Watch, the custard’s dripping out of yours. Mmmm.’
He stops reading, takes a sip of tea and a bite of donut.
‘How is Violet doing these days, mum?’
‘She was here yesterday with some treats that she baked. What a lovely baker she is. We had a great time, laughing about folk we know in the village. She gave my feet a bathe and then rubbed in some cream. We had a great time.’
Jen asked if she had had any other visitors. ‘I can’t remember, no, I don’t think so.’
‘Was my sister in?’ He asked. ‘Och, if you could have seen her, made up to the nines to come and see me.’ ‘Was she not going to a show?’ he asked, ‘Was it not Friday night that she was off to the theatre?’
‘Oh yes. That’s right, she popped in with a casserole and some home–made rice pudding, then she sat and blethered while I was eating. What a gossip!’
‘Well mum, we know who she got that from.’
‘How do you put up with him Jen… you must be a saint?’
Everyone laughed.
‘I see from the book that my brother has been as well, and that Mamie across the road has been in to see you every day.’
‘Why didn’t I remember that, what on earth is wrong with me?’
‘Well mum, you are having problems with your memory.’
‘Well, it can’t be that bad, because if memory serves me right, there’s still some tea in the pot and my cup is empty.’
‘You always empty the pot, don’t you?’ ‘Yes Jen, I have since the war. If we had had tea bags then, we could’ve used them twice. Waste not, want not!’
‘When we left Yorkshire,’ said Jen, ‘some friends gave us tea bag squeezers. They thought we might need them in Aberdeen, but the Aberdonians had the last laugh because we bought little clothes pegs for hanging teabags out to dry and sent them back to the Yorkshire folk.’
‘Mum’ he said, ’I see from the book that the carers are coming in at really odd times some days to give you your meals and meds. One day there was only ninety minutes between a late lunch and early dinner. I’ll get sis to give them a ring and sort that out.’
‘We’ll see you again on Wednesday night. Jen has a meeting on Tuesday, but sis will be in that night. We need to go now.’
‘Bye son, it’s been lovely seeing you. Jen, make sure he washes behind his ears and let me see those hands cleaned properly before you go up to bed.’
‘Yes mum.’
Bob Rendall
Chairman, Faith in Older People