After pulling into the driveway and heading up the hill to the parking lot, I parked near the front of Apple Rehab. I imagined the nurses on duty inside pacing around handing residents their medication and tending to their needs. I was exhausted from everything and I had zero motivation. My professors at Middlesex Community College were demanding, my home life was rocky, and the recent death of my grandmother was weighing me down. Everything felt overwhelming.
I gather my stuff and walk into the building through the white doors. I started my shift in the kitchen and saw Nora, the one resident who was always yelling something in Polish. She sat in the chair near the front desk looking through the window. Walking to the kitchen, I watched a few nurses pacing through the halls going from the North Wing to the East and West Wings. As a dietary aide, I set the tables in every dining room and prepare the meals before serving time at five when I ring the bell to let the whole building know it was time to eat.
I was pushing the black cart that was filled with ceramic plates and bowls that banged on the flooring. For some residents who want to stay in their rooms, we deliver their food directly to their rooms. Heading to the East Wing, I knocked at every door and asked the usual question, “ What would you like for dinner?” Then at the end of the hall, we reached the dining room. It was a big room filled with wood dining tables, one at each corner of the room, there were placemats at each spot for the residents who preferred to eat together. There was a flat screen tv on the wall for residents to watch movies or the news. One by one, I am handing out bowls of soup of the day and plates piled with food in front of every resident. In the background, I can hear the news reporters talking about the weather and how it was going to snow this week. I grabbed the last bowl of creamy tomato soup from the serving table and headed toward the last table. That is when I noticed your hat, it was a green corduroy hat, with Disney World written in a colorful fun font.
It reminded me of my childhood memory when I went to Disney World with my family. At the Animal Kingdom, we waited in line at Splash Mountain. It was one of my favorite rides at the park. Being on the top of the ride right before it dropped for the big splash was thrilling. Remembering those memories filled me with happiness. I have dreams of working at Disney/Pixar one day. As an artist, I would love to assist to make movies like designing characters or imaginative worlds. Ever since I was younger, Disney inspired me to be more creative. The Little Mermaid, Tinkerbell, Lilo & Stitch, and my favorite Tangled inspired me as a kid to follow my dreams. One quote from Mulan I admire is, “ The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and beautiful of all”. This quote inspires me because it explains how difficulties or accidents can not always be a bad thing in our lives, sometimes adversity can help us find new opportunities. I have gone through many difficulties and sometimes I failed to see how these moments can be beneficial to my growth. Movies like these helped me as a kid, but now in college, I can learn from life’s challenges. Just like these movies, I want to inspire a new generation to follow their dreams and do what they love no matter how hard their life.
“I love your hat,” I said. You smiled and waved at me.
“Thank you, how are you doing, sweetie?-” you asked. You had short white hair, your wrinkled skin was pale with rosy full cheeks, and your nose was bulbous.
“I’m alright. Just busy working, what would you like to eat?” I gave you the options from our menu that day. You just chuckled and told me to pick something tasty. Heading back to the serving table, I decided to give you the cheeseburger, which in my opinion was a better option than a hot dog. I told the cook to make a burger with cheese. She started placing each ingredient on the plate from buns, juicy burger, cheese, crispy lettuce, and tomato. Placing the top bun of the burger she hands me the plate. I head over to your table, placing the burger in front of you.
“Thank you!” you said smiling with your teeth.
You remind me of interactions with my grandmother, every time she saw me her face lit up, and would run to me to give me the biggest hug. It felt heartwarming to see you smile, especially since I was struggling after my grandmother’s death. A month later, you were gone, I asked my coworkers where you went, but they didn’t know if you had just passed or you had gone home. I hope you went home back to your family and are happy to be with your family. I am grateful for the opportunity to have met you. Without you even knowing, you reminded me to keep on going no matter how hard my life is and to keep following my dreams.
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