Why the Dumb Have Hope

          Two weeks ago Calvin Gregory's eldest son, William Gregory, had taken his own life. After a faulty  investment took all his savings, he locked himself in the garage and started the engine on that lovely red BMW of his. 

          Calvin had lived in the nursing home for nearly five years now. Yes, that was right. He'd come to Orange Sunrise Village when he was 80, and now he was 85. Before Orange Sunrise, Calvin had resided in his little brick house outside Rochester, New York with his lovely wife Carolyn.

          Carolyn had passsed in her sleep just before he'd sold the little brick house. She had looked just as beautiful in death as she had in life. Though her hair had long been gray, and the wrinkles on her milky face had resided there for nearly thirty years. He hadn't cried when she'd died. Oh, he'd been sad. But she had lived a full life and had had no regrets. Calvin had quite the same attitude towards dying. The thought did not bother him or keep him awake at night. He was ready to go whenever God called his number. 

          Though Calvin still had his wits about him, and was indeed quite sharp, he did not want to live by himself any longer. He did not have the money to pay for a home, though. Just then, like a sign from above, his most responsible, sucessful, son had called him. William had asked Calvin if he'd like to move down to Colorado and live at a nursing home there. William had come to Carolyn's funeral, but had not mentioned the idea then. Calvin gladly accepted. To die near his son would be a great pleasure. 

          William had picked Calvin up at the airport and brought him to Orange Sunrise, a priemere nursing home in the Metro-Area. William, at the time, had quite a bit of money from his job as an investment banker, and offered to pay the expenses in full. With much gratitude, Calvin had again accepted.

          Orange Sunrise Village was a lovely place. There were several gardens and courtyard, as well as an indoor swimming pool. Calvin, over the years, had come to love the outdoor courtyard the most. He would sit out there an hour a day, no matter the weather, and talk to Carolyn. He wasn't senile, of course, he just enjoyed talking to her every one in a while. Calvin Gregory had married Carolyn Sullivan when they were both 22. They'd been married for 58 years when she'd passed. When you've spent that much time with someone, speaking with them every single day, there is quite a profound habit that is built. Calvin did not want to break the habit, even with her passing. He would tell her about his new friends, both the caregivers and other residents of Orange Sunrise. Sometimes he would just monologue about last night's supper, or if this morning he happened to hear a robin, or perhaps it was just a pigeon. Carolyn did not respond, but he could see her pale greenish-gray eyes when he spoke to her. She had always been the quiet one, chewing over every aspect of his day with great wisdom. He enjoyed talking, and she enjoyed listening. That was there perfect relationship. 

          Calvin and Carolyn had never lost the romance, though. Of course, it was no longer physical, but anyone who took the time to look close enough knew it was still their beneath the surface. The way Carolyn looked at him, the way he smiled at her and laughed heartily when she said something funny, that was the nature of their romance. It was never lost or forgotten. He only loved her more over the years. He supposed that is why he continued to speak to her in the courtyard everyday after lunch.

          But then, his marvelous five years in the facility had come to an end. Calvin was sure he'd have been dead by this time, but he was not. William had committed sucide, and there was no longer anyone to pay for his stay here at Orange Sunrise. William had paid till the end of the month, but after that Calvin was to go live with his other son's family. 

          Calvin's youngest son, George, had passed around seven years ago. Oh, how Carolyn had cried over her youngests' death. George had only been 45, he'd overdosed on methamphetamines. Neither Calvin nor Carolyn had seen or heard from him for nearly ten years, so his sudden death had come as no real shock. Poor Georgey had left his pregnant wife and three other children behind. Calvin had only met them once, at George's funeral. Calvin'd heard that his wife, Trixie, had remarried and had another two children. 

          At the end of this week, Trixie would drive out to get him. Having never really met his grandchildren, Calvin was both exuberant and apalled to leave Orange Sunrise. A house full of foreign children? He hadn't lived in a residence with children for more then twenty five years. How would one go about introducing themselves to their grandchildren?

          "Hello there, Calvin." Mary Anne Cartlett adressed him. Calvin had been lost in his own thoughts, and was quickly awakened back into the real world. He sat on the bench, like every day, in the large courtyard. It was the end of Spring, but the daphodiles and iris were still in full bloom. The cherry blossom trees had not yet lost their brilliant pinks and whites. 

          He gestured for Mary Anne to take a seat on his bench, and she did. The nice thing about having so many years on this planet is that you do not need feel the need to speak all the time. "Are you excited to leave on Saturday?" She asked quietly. He'd known Mary Anne for quite some time now, and he would be upset to leave her. But that is another thing about having so much time on Earth, you know that you will live on even if one particular person is not in your life. 

          "Yes. Trixie sounded very nice over the phone. And I can't wait to see my grandkids." Calvin smiled wryly at Mary Anne. She was beautiful, even in old age, much like Carolyn had been. Her long white hair was pulled back into a neat bun. She was wearing a long heather-gray skirt that brushed the pavement when she walked and a white button down blouse. 

          "Trixie? What a name!" Mary Anne mused. "She must be lovely, if she was married to George." Though Calvin had met Mary Anne long after George's death, he had shown her pictures of both his sons. George, the younger of the two, had been incredibly handsome. William had also gotten this gene (most likely from his mother, Carolyn), and had married several times but never had children. 

          "I remember she was, when I met her at George's funeral. Blond hair, blue eyes, really quite pretty." He replied. He wondered if his grandchildren had blond hair and blue eyes like Trixie, or jet black hair and eyes like both his sons. How thrilled he would be if they looked like either George or William, who looked similarly. 

          "Where do they live?" 

         Calvin looked at her, a bit surprised. "Well, I didn't ask!" He said brightly. He was not sure where he would be going, he supposed he'd been more concerned with who he was going with.

          Mary Anne put her frail hand on Calvin's knee, and said softly, "I will miss you in this place, Calvin. You've been a dear friend to me, and I won't forget you." His thin lips pulled upward into a smile. He was glad that he was appreaciated, and would greatly miss the company of Mary Anne as well.

          "I'll miss you too, Mary Anne." Calvin said as he carefully got to his feet. "Now, would you like to take a stroll with me?"