“Nathanael Greene.  He led us to victory.”

“I have no thoughts.”

(After seeing Claudette, a Black activities staff member at Kent, walk down the hall)

“I was trying to think of how much I’d be worth if they tried to sell me.  At least $100.00 if I were a slave.”

(This conversation reminded me of my question to Mother recorded in the first printing of Glimpses of the Past: Morning Conversations with Audrey. I asked her what did she regret the most in her life and she responded, “I regret that I never had a Black friend”. Therefore, I spoke with Claudette about this and whenever we would see Claudette, I would say softly to Mother “here is Claudette your Black friend”. Mother always was happy to see Claudette, a wonderful, caring staff person in Senior Activities Department at Kent .)

“I’ve got no thoughts, but what are you saying?”

(Heather: Do you like it here at Kent?)

“Yes”.

(Heather:  What do you like about it?”)

“It’s peaceful.  It’s quiet and nobody fighting with everybody else.  Everybody seems to be sensible.”

(Heather:  What do you like best about your room?)

(Looking up toward the framed hat box cover with a stylist shoe that Deardra put on the wall by Mother’s bed) “Elegance” Mother read.

(Heather:  Mother,  I’m trying to call Deardra to tell her that you liked her choice of decor, but she’s not home.)

“Well, I’m home.  You can call me.”

(Heather:  A penny for your thoughts?)

“This blue pillow.  I wonder how much this is.  Do you consider this whole building yours?”

(Heather:  Do you consider this your home?)

“No, because I don’t own it”.

(Heather:  But you rent it? Do you like it here? [Audrey gives a neutral response.]

“I wonder how…(end of thought) Do you own this house?”

(Heather:  Everything on this side of the room is yours (pointing to the corner, window).

“I don’t want to be a Mother.”

(Heather: Why?)

“It’s such a lot of work and I don’t like to work.  I want you to park yourself.”

“How many horses?”

(Heather (speaking calmly and strongly):  The horses are all in the barn. There is no need for us to worry.)

“Are their heads sticking out?”

(Heather (speaking calmly and strongly):  Yes, Mother. There is no need for us to worry.)

“I just want to see the boys.”

(Heather:  What boys?)

“Do they go by here?  No, I’m the mother of a boy and I want  her boys to stand right up there, so they will know you have a boy.”

(Heather:  Mother, did you cry all your life?)

“I’ve cried my heart out since I was 90.  I didn’t cry at all.  I’m crying now because everything is upside down.  I don’t think things are going right for me.  Wait a minute and maybe we will see.  When…I don’t think its going right.  Maybe it is.”

” A penny for your thoughts.  I was wondering what my thoughts were.  I was just thinking a penny for my thoughts.”

(Heather:  A penny for your thoughts?)

(amusingly) “I knew you were going to ask that.”

“Why am I crying?”

“I feel rotten.  I feel bad everywhere.”

(Date and time not recorded but in this time frame.  Mother was sleeping and her head fell off the pillow, so I tried to make her comfortable.  She woke up briefly.)

“Are you hungry?” and then Mother went back to sleep.

“Take my hand.  Don’t leave me.  I want to know.  I want to take your hand and on the door to go out. I’m afraid I’ll never get out.”

(Phone Conversation on Labor Day when staff member answered Mother’s phone so Mother could talk with me on the speaker phone–Rhode Island Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program managed by Goodwill Industries of R.I.)

“I can’t understand…You got to come over here and show it to me…”

(Heather: Oh, I know it is confusing, but I am so happy that we can find this information about our ancestors. I’m reading 1776 by David McCullough and the author says that the Green house where General Nathaneal Green was born is still in the Green family in Warwick, R.I.  Let’s plan to ride by there when I come to R.I.)

“Oh, that sounds great…You got to come here and put me in the right place…It’s so bad…I’m awfully sad…I wish I were closer to you…”

(Heather:  I’ll continue to try to get to see you once a month. I am able to get the time off work because of the government program, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).  I wish I were old enough so that I could leave my work at the state and still keep my health insurance, but anyway, I am happy to get the time off to see you monthly.)

(Exact date and time in September not recorded, but on a phone conversation with Mother):

“I want you to be with me alone with you in this thing.  I want Douglas to come.”

“I must make more poems and they must be beautiful.”

(Heather: Yes, Mother.  I have compiled all your poetry into a booklet and I love to read your work.)

“Every time you say that I look at your teeth.  They are good teeth.”

(Heather: Yes, Mother.  I’ve glad I had braces when I was younger.)

“The room stays the same; it never changes.”

(Heather: Do you like your room?)

“Yes.  The bed is soft and comfortable.  You showed me your teeth.”

(Heather:  Thank you, Mother.  I like my teeth also.  Do you want me to send out the Date books to your relatives and friends again this Christmas?)

“Yes, they all seem to love it.  It is such a nice thing to do.  Send me one too. I’ve got everything.”

“I wonder how much you know of that paper” (Audrey referring to her Memoir’s booklet Glimpses of the Past: Morning Conversation with Audrey placed on the tray table.)

“Is that what I say?  I try to leave, so you remember. Remember me.”