Cricket Keeper

One day while, Walking in the rain

I came upon a man, He stopped me

And this is what he said:

I have something for you

I want you to keep

This tiny little cricket

Will comfort when you sleep

Keep him always near

When you feel alone

He will sing softly

From the comfort

Of your home

He will rejoice

And give you needed peace

Bring to you joy

And Spiritual relief

Skeptical of what, This man had to say

But intrigue by his words, I accepted the cricket

Though feeling absurd, I continued my walk

On my way home, Thoughts of this man

Flashed as I roamed, Finally I arrived

Safely to home, Upon my window seal

Cricket’s new home, His musical chirps

All through the night, Songs of God’s love

Until daylight, I slept more sound

Than I had in years, No nightmares

Or worrisome fears, When I awoke

I began to stare, At this small bug

There was nothing to see, Nothing special

I shrugged, I found myself thinking

About the Cricket Keeper,  The gentle old man

Who gave me this gift,

Where did he come from?

What was his name?

Why did he stop me?

Was he insane?

I pondered these thoughts, All through the day

Until I grew tired, And climbed into bed

The cricket’s song, Sang throughout

Heavenly music, Blessed and devout

When I awoke, I had to find him

The Cricket Keeper, I had to know him

I felt such peace, Such deep happiness

I had to thank him, For his kindness

When I arrived, To the man’s home

I noticed how old, And broken it was

It was cold, And falling apart

I felt so sad, It was breaking my heart

I knocked on the door, But no one answered

A little concerned, I asked a neighbor

No one has lived here, In many years

Whoever he was, Was pulling your ears

I was confused, But needed some answers

I let myself in, This wooden disaster

Only a small table, Sat in the room

Which was dreary, In the gloom

I noticed a note, On the table top

Picking it up, I brushed a teardrop

My heart felt, For this gentleman

He was so kind, His home so grim

I opened his note, And began to read

The most beautiful words, Anyone has ever

Shared with me, He told of a man

Jesus was His name, He told of the songs

The cricket sang, Wondrous stories

Of deep found love, He told me how

He watched from above, He said I would

Never be alone, Just believe in Him

And He would come, He knew of my cancer

And all of my fears, I could barely read

For all my tears, His final words

I began to read:

Have faith in

the Cricket Keeper

For I am He you seek

I will walk with you

As you journey and

I shall carry you

When you are weak

by Renee Robinson

Abe

The man who spit food

There was a gentle old man (I will call him Abe) who resided at a nursing home where I was employed. Abe had Alzheimer’s disease. His face would light up with a broad smile when a child walked into the room. Abe loved to hold a kitten close to his cheek, allowing its fur to brush against his whiskers. He enjoyed the small things in life.

However, Abe had one disturbing behavior. When Abe was in the dining room, he would wander about taking food off of other’s plates. He would chew it up and put it back on the plates. The other resident, understandably,would become enraged and picked on him, and some would try to slap him. Abe could not understand why everyone would be upset with him. I could not understand why he would do such a thing. It became my task to try to figure it out. I began talking with Abe’s family.

Through much investigation, I found that Abe had been a prisoner in a Nazi war camp. His wife and daughter were whisked away. His father was attacked by guard dogs before his very eyes. Abe became close friends with a man named Ben. Ben, too had lost his wife and daughter. His brother was killed in the gas chamber. Abe and Ben would talk for hours about their families, their home and the good times they used to have. They would sometimes laugh together. Often, they would cry together.

Ben’s health started declining. The roof leaked, making their clothing and bedding damp. Their living quarters were rat and lice-infested. Ben became very weak. Abe would help him to dress. He would do many of Ben’s chores to keep Ben from getting thrashed. He did not even have the strength to chew his own food. Abe would reach out and take Ben’s food. He would chew it up in his own mouth, then he would put it back on Ben’s plate. This was the only way Ben could survive.

Abe’s behavior was out of love and concern for a friend. By understanding the reason behind this behavior, I could better understand how to help Abe. Abe began taking his meals in his room. I no longer had to worry about his bothering the other residents. Also, I did not feel I was triggering a horrible memory for him.

By understanding the behavior of someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s, it is much easier to try to find a cure for that behavior. Don’t just assume that someone is disgusting or vulgar. Take time to try to problem solve; you might be in for a surprise.

by Renee Robinson