"Just Another Comment From The Senior Center!"

And, she said, "What?"

On any given day at the Mandeville Senior Center, one can enter grumpy and escape laughing, hysterically. They say that kids say the darnedest things, but you haven't been as entertained as I have with the things my mother, and other octogenarians spurt out, mumble to themselves out loud, and comment to one another.

Today, as I was trying to say my goodbyes, not only to my mother, but to twenty or more of elderly folks, one diminutive oriental lady waved to me to come close. This kind of thing happens every day, so I have to allow about twenty or more minutes to my schedule, just to be on time for where ever I need to go!

I walked over to the lady as she invited me to get a little closer as if to whisper to me some deep, dark, and confidential secret. I leaned over to hear her say, shyly, and in broken English…

"Mr. Bensen, your mother funny! On her birthday, last day, I asked her, how old?"

"Oh yeh! What did she say this time?"I asked, never knowing what but simultaneously fearing what she just might blurt out.

"We just love your mother! The things she say, so funny!"

"She real comedian," the lady continued.

I'm thinking," Oh God, what did she say and who did she lambast, this time!

"I ask, how old, and she say, "I don't know… I have to ask MY MOTHER!"

"She real comedian. Bring joy to everyone!" she said.

Strangely enough, sometimes, my mom will ask me, in her dementia, when we drive up to the center, why are we going here? Sometimes, she just refuses to get out of the car until I tell her this.

And it works, every time...

"C'mon mom, you gotta go. You gotta go make everyone happy and put a smile on everyone's face!"

Twenty-three skidoo… and with a spring in her step, reminiscent of Jackie Gleason, as he exited stage right…

"On-n-n-n-n, with the Show!

Copyright 2013/ Ben Bensen III