Audrey Mae Spencer

Audrey: Here I can do what I want.  I’m not bossed around.  Spencer will take me out and wheel me around and I don’t have a boring chair. Spen drops in every other thing.  Oh, my hand is fast asleep, so I switched hands.  A girl came in and made my neighbor Vivian’s bed. Vivian walks with a walker.  She is in and out all the time. She is always on the go.

Yesterday a hundred million black birds were flying up and down outside my window. The road was covered with birds.  They stayed there even after I left.  The phone fell on the floor. I’m going to put it back.  I backed up so far the phone fell off the table.  Oh, Dawn is coming in!!  Who am I talking to?

(H: Heather)

A: Oh, I’m not getting that bad yet?  Wasn’t that funny.  I get along pretty good with whom I talk with.

(Heather: Of course, you do, Mother.  It’s just that you are excited and happy to see Dawn.  And besides, if you forget whom you are talking to, just say,  “Whom am I talking to?”  And then you will get the answer and we keep going with the conversation.  No one will be upset if you forget for a moment.  We all forget at times. That is natural.  Let me say Hi to Dawn and then I’ll call you next Saturday.  Love you.)

(No Answer)

(No Answer)

Audrey Mae MacDonald

Audrey: I have a very good life. I have friends. We are always talking.  We are all one big family here.  I would rather stay in the house and look out the window. Spencer pushes me around outside.  When I am outside, I need a scarf, just like Grandma^*. She always said her neck was cold.  I have a pink scarf that I tie around my neck and make a bow.

*Grandma is MaryJane (née Vaughn) Spencer, Audrey’s  mother.

Audrey: I’m always going out in the hall. Tom stops there. I just go out in the hall and old Tom, he is pretty good to talk with. Old Tom. He was the last of the eight boys. His mother wasn’t very good. She was a kind of wild thing. Each one of the children would come down our street, so I knew of him and his family. The first seven boys always got into trouble. He was the good one of the family and turned out all right. The rest were all getting into trouble. We are great friends. We see each other each day. We argue most of the time. We enjoy our arguing. He gets out there every morning at a certain space in the hall. Tom’s son comes along and off goes Tom.  His son pushes him around. Every elderly man should have a son to push him around.

Audrey: Everything is going just right. I had a nice visit with Belinda. She looks good. Belinda wants to be a surgeon. Dr. Belinda Bradley, surgeon. Doesn’t that sound great? I said “go ahead and study, use it for all its worth”. I’m so happy for Belinda. She found what she wants to do in life.

I sat in the “boring chair” for a while at Crystal’s house, but I was glad I didn’t sit there too long! Everybody laughs about the “boring chair” as I called it. I eat a lot now. I’ve got my (large print) books to read. This (companion) chair is worth its weight in gold. I’m busy every minute. I go up and down the aisle.

Audrey: Amber. She comes here often! She’s jumping around here getting everything in order. She straightens out my clothes. She makes sure I have everything I need. I haven’t forgotten what she looks like! (Laughter)

Audrey: It is snowing outside. It is beautiful. So pretty.  The snow is piling up. It is snowing like the dickens. I have four little drawers and one is to keep papers. I can always tell when my (artistic display) stand has been looked at. The page left open has been changed. I love my little chair. I call it my other self.