"I almost died." Part Four

Well, I finally arrived at the Honker Family Resource Center FRC for my first lunch experience in the senior lunchroom. It has been a few years since I have been there. It’s not that I didn't want to go back then, I just did not feel like going, that’s all. It was nothing personal. It had nothing to do with the program or any of the people that go there. As there were a great group of seniors and others that went there for lunch each day. There were many on a regular continuing basis. In fact, it got to the point that people would most of the time pick to sit where they felt most comfortable.

Like any of us when we go someplace that we fill comfortable, we manage to find a place to sit or eat that is most comfortable for us. It did not mean that anyone had his or her seats reserved or assigned. If they got there earlier enough to get their favorite place to sit, there was no problem. If they were late it did not mean they would get their favorite seat and someone else would have to move. If you wanted to sit for lunch where you wanted to, you had to arrive early enough to do it.

Iva Rogers and Alice Morris worked hard each day to arrange the tables with silverware, napkins and all the rest of the condiments on each table, like sugar, and creamer for your coffee. Cups were on the round table in the center of the room near the exit door out into the hallway. Way back when there were two computers set up for people to use at their leisure. There is a TV in the room but none of the seniors back then had much interest in using it. They were there for the social nature of the program. Where there were puzzles to use and people would set up one table to work on together as a team effort for those that were interested in doing those kinds of activities together. There were books for people to read and borrow from what I can remember from those times. And different kinds of games too. They are all still there to be enjoyed by all those that attend the senior lunch program now as they were then.

When the students are on vacation holidays Iva Rogers and Alice Morris would cook for the senior lunch program. They both would start early preparing the food in the school cafeteria kitchen and sometimes even Richard Marcillac would fry his famous catfish that he caught if I remember it correctly. Everyone always complimented him on his fried catfish and the good catch he caught for the meal for everyone to enjoy eating. Myself personally fish or any kind, I am not too fond of eating it. However, that’s just me. I will eat tuna fish, shrimp, crab legs and that’s about it. I am not much of a fish eater.

People just loved it when Iva Rogers would cook as she worked hard on each meal she prepared and planned ahead on serving to her seniors. No offense to the cafeteria food, but when Iva cooked is when the most people would show up for lunch. They just loved her home-style cooking and during each holiday Iva Rogers and Alice Morris would decorate the entire lunchroom for whatever holiday it was at the time.

I entered the door and if I remember the first person I was greeted by that day was Meribelle who works at the counter for the Honker Family Resource Center FRC. Iva Rogers was at the front counter as she had just arrived moments before I did. And Joanne was there too for lunch, she used to volunteer for the Honker Family Resource Center FRC and she was a past city council member at one time from what I recall.

I walked around the corner from the counter at the Honker Family Resource Center. And entered into the senior center lunchroom, right after Iva Rogers did. By then Ira was in the room and Joanne was popping in and out. And Jan was at the far table closet to the where the TV is located working on a puzzle.

And I had not seen Jan in a long time either. She used to come to lunch when Anita did before she passed away. It was nice seeing Jan. In fact, it was nice seeing Iva, Joanne, and Jan. They were the only people having lunch in the senior center.

There was one other person. She told me what her name was, but I forgot to write it down. I am bad with names; it takes me a while to remember their names. But from I understand she is Shaneens’s cousin. I am getting like my Mom; my short term memory is getting worse. So bad that I have communicated with the person who is now in charge of the FRC and I don’t remember what her name is either. I think it is Megan, but I don’t know if that is her name or Shaneen’s cousin’s name. As we get older some of us begin the early stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s. It’s getting so bad now that words I know how to spell sometimes, I can’t spell them anymore. Good thing I have spell check as I use it as much as I can to help me, even words I know how to spell, but can’t remember anymore. And it comes and goes. One day I might be able to spell it and next, I can’t.

I picked up a coffee cup and made a cup of coffee. On the table next to the wall where all the coffee cups had been placed, cream and sugar, along with all the silverware and napkins in one place. I found a seat at the next table across from Jan who was still working on the puzzle. I always like sitting mostly in the seat next to the wall. But not always, as sometimes I liked sitting on an end chair facing the FRC hallway direction.

It was almost time for lunch as I arrived a little after 11:00 AM for lunch. Around 11:20 AM, they let us know it was time to get in line and go to the cafeteria to get our lunch. On the menu were Chicken Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Roll, Cookies, and Milk. We all lined up and got our plates and after being served then headed for the salad bar.

I have been having a problem with my teeth, so I have to pick and choose what I can eat and what I cannot eat. I can’t eat salad anymore. I can’t chew it. So the salad bar was out for me. If there would have been cottage cheese, I could have eaten it. And there was no pudding that day. The only thing I felt I could eat without any problems with my teeth was the Chicken Gravy and Mashed Potatoes. Then one by one we headed back to the senior lunchroom with our lunch plates in tow.

We were all eating our lunch and having general conversations about some things that are not important for anyone to know, except those that were there at the time. The snow or lack of it was one conversation and some other personal things were discussed. We were almost done and Iva said she was heading to Klamath Falls to take care of some personal business and she wanted to get up there and back before the weather front coming in got any worse than it already was at the time. So Iva left the senior center.

Continue to Part Five

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