Sunnyside Nursing Home is a facility that has been a feature story of the ten o’clock news for many years running. Unlike other retirement facilities, Sunnyside’s reputation reflected neglect, mismanagement, and code violations. The state assisted home was reported as understaffed, near bankruptcy and a disgrace to the senior residents that lived there. Any member of the community who ended up at Sunnyside, either had a family that was desperate or simply did not care.

It was a Monday morning in the dead of winter. Residents peered out the window with curiosity as a salt covered sedan pulled to the front entry.

"Here comes another one!" Judy exclaimed. The other residents in the main lobby nodded in agreement. Although this was something she said even when the bread truck would arrive for delivery, in this case she was correct.

A young woman hurried around the car opening the door for a gentleman with white hair. He was portly, osteoporosis only a slight problem noticeable about the shoulders. The woman assisted him from the passenger seat and he hobbled along as she held his arm.

I watched with interest from my place at the bottom of the community fish tank. In this assignment I landed smack dab within the confines of a bottle of prune juice. It was obvious that one of the residents pitched me there and no one had the inclination or dexterity to fish me out.

They swung through glass entry doors and it wasn’t until they shuffled closer that I realized he was crying.

"I don’t understand why I can’t live with you any longer." The man said with a catch in his throat.

"We’ve been through this a hundred times dad. I can’t manage. Between work and caring for Toby, it’s just too much." The woman's tone wavered between sympathy and harshness.

The man’s eyebrows creased with anger. "You know how I feel about this kind of place!" He shouted. All eyes fell upon them and the daughter shifted her weight in discomfort.

"Dad, behave yourself. It’s for the best, really." She said in a tone just above a whisper.

"The best for who?" He managed projecting his outrage.

The woman shook her head as a clerk appeared from an office. "Is this Russell Makowski?" She asked. The administration clerk was a slight thing, not much more than a walking skeleton with skin. Her hair, although neatly in place was an outdated beehive style twisting a foot above her head.

"Yes." The daughter responded trying hard not to stare at the ornate configuration which resembled the horn of a unicorn. "He prefers to be called Russ."

Beehive smiled warmly then spoke in a loud voice. "Welcome Russ! I hope you’ll like your new home!"

"Why and the heck are you shouting? I’m not ignorant you old Hun!"

"Dad, please." The daughter pleaded.

"You think I approve of you dumping me off like this! After everything I did for you through the years!" The old man said in a belligerent tone.

"Oh yeah dad, what exactly was so spectacular that you did for any of us through the years, huh?" The daughter managed with apparent embarrassment that she lost her temper.

"I put a roof over your head and food on the table." Russ grumbled.

The daughter smiled in a remorseful way. "You were a father, that was expected."

"I went to work everyday to provide for my family!" Russ announced as if this fact was something of rarity for his generation.

"You did." The daughter said shaking her head with frustration.

"Is this any way to treat your father?" He asked pointing his trembling finger at her. The old man was furious.

"Dad, we tried having you stay with us. It just didn’t work. Now, we’ve got you a nice room with a television, I believe it even has a remote...no more fighting with Toby over programs. This will work out, you’ll see."

Tears began to trickle from the old man’s face. All eyes were locked on him from the patient lounge. "What the heck are you all looking at?" The old man shouted.

Everyone redirected their attention for a millisecond, until Russ gazed away. Silence was everywhere. The interaction between father and daughter more interesting than the morning talk show on the community television.

Russ waddled in a feeble stride as the daughter strutted with a youthful arrogance. In a few moments they disappeared into a room adjoining the main hallway. Just from observation, I was able to figure that Sunnyside placed patients that were the most independent into that particular section of accommodations. After only a few minutes, the daughter reappeared as a male orderly I nicknamed Gumsnap followed her to the car. Fumbling with the keys, she unlocked the trunk. The tail end of the auto rose as she lifted the oversized suit case and handed it to the orderly.

Gumsnap smiled as the daughter handed him a few dollars as a tip. Without hesitation, the daughter swung into the car driving off without so much as once glancing back.

"They’re all the same......" Judy said shaking her head in despair. She gazed up above a small knitted quilt that was quickly materializing from two long needles and her experienced fingers.

"We give them everything we’ve got through the years and they drop us here like we’re orphans or something."

A hunched-over man grasping a walker added as he struggled to shuffle, "they treat dogs better, at least they have the decency to put them down when they’ve passed their days of usefulness."

Beehive stuck her head out from the main office. "That will be enough!" She conveyed irritation and her face was now projecting the characteristic frown lines of a chain smoker.

Both elderly residents began to chuckle. "Look, mommy is mad at us for our disrespect!" Judy teased.

"Maybe we’ll be grounded to our rooms later." The old man replied.

Beehive peered out of her office shaking her finger at them in warning.

_____________________________________________________________

Two days passed before Russell Makowski was seen again. Sunnyside had a strict policy about not catering to those that were able. So I imagine it took this amount of time before Russell decided he could starve to death pouting in his quarters. The aroma of runny eggs and soggy toast were just enough to shelve his despair.

At first he was out of sorts in the community room. Tables were lined in all directions and not a one was vacant. I watched as he carried his tray gazing at the various residents, all of which were still sporting their matching institution pajama’s.

Russell’s eyes narrowed as he perched himself on the far end opposite Judy and another woman.

"Good morning!" They both exclaimed in unison.

"Tell me ladies, what the heck is so good about a morning in this place?" Russell barked.

Both women shook their heads in wonderment.

"I’m Judy Faulk, and this is my friend Sally Benton." Judy said speaking rather loudly.

"And who and the heck gives a care?" The old man snapped.

Both women gazed at one another then burst into a nervous laughter. The old man eyed them with contempt.

"Just leave me the heck alone and we’ll get along fine."

Judy responded. "I don’t need this kind of glum right now... Come on Sally, let’s change tables."

Sally shook her head in disagreement. "You go ahead, I’ll be around in just a moment."

As soon as Judy was gone, Sally slid her tray next to Russell. She placed her face inches from his then grinned.

"Do you mind?" He grumbled.

"Gee Russ, you never complained about me in your face forty years ago when you were ordering beer!" Sally whispered.

Russell’s eyes narrowed in question.

"It’s me Russ, Sally... Sally Benton?"

Russell shook his head with confusion. "I don’t know who you are lady."

"No? You used to come to my bar, Sal’s Suds on Route 4 outside of town. You remember, right? You’d come in for some dancing and a pitcher on tap."

Russell smiled in acknowledgment. "I loved to dance! The wife was tied down with all the brats that we had.....that’s why I was always alone."

"So you remember me then Russ?" Sally asked grinning.

Russell narrowed his eyes at her elderly transformation, years disappeared as he began to realize.

"Of course!" He said beginning to chuckle. "The cute brunette that was always scolding the cook for charring the burgers till they were dry as the desert."

"That’s right!" Sally smirked touching his arm.

"If you don’t mind me asking, how and the heck did you end up in this kind of dump?"

Sally shrugged her shoulders. "I never had time for marriage or kids. I was married though, married to Sal’s Suds. When you own a business, it kind of runs you...you know what I mean?"

"I can sympathize, though I always worked for someone else. I retired as a foreman at Standard Manufacturing, head of the department, three times a production leader with citations to prove it."

Sally nodded with politeness.

"This place doesn’t have the best reputation, you know?" Russell managed his eyes sweeping the layout of the room.

"Oh, I know, but it’s home to me."

"Certainly you could afford better?" Russell asked.

"Not really. In the later years business wasn’t so good. I kept the place running, but I put more out in wages than I took in. The end result, bankruptcy. That’s the way it goes sometimes....a few good years, then bust!"

"I imagine so."

"So what’s your story Russell?" She asked with curiosity.

Russ rolled his eyes as he forked some bland food into his mouth. Taking his time to gum the cuisine, his face projected an expression of disgust.

"This is awful!" He gasped.

Sally nodded. "It’ll get better. You get so hungry it’s bound to."

Russell grunted his disapproval.

"My story......" "My kids are ungrateful worms!"

"You’re blessed to have kids, many of us here don’t. The few that have ‘em are seldom remembered...... welcome to the land of the forgotten."

"I’ll fit in well then!" Russell announced shaking his head in agreement.

Sally chuckled.

"I have pictures you might be interested to see." Russell managed pulling his wallet from the front pocket of his pajama’s.

"I didn’t feel comfortable leaving my wallet behind in the room. I don’t trust anyone here."

Sally agreed with a nod.

"You see this?" Russell asked. "This is one of fifteen Wulitzer jukeboxes that I collected through the years."

"Wow, very impressive Russ."

"This one here..." Russ said flipping the rectangular plastic, "I bought at your place, Sally. I bought it at auction back in 81, picked it up for peanuts."

Sally narrowed her eyes with scorn.

"No offense, but that’s how I bought most of these." Russ said realizing that he did in fact offend her. "I love music, and I love to dance." Russell managed in a soft tone trying to appease Sally.

"Any pictures of your kids or grandchildren?"

"Never had a need for ‘em!" Russell announced in a gruff tone.

"The kids never had time for me through the years, after all I did for them too! You’d think my son’s especially would have the heart to fix this and that around the house. No way, had to pay them to lift a finger.....and those grandchildren.. spoiled, mouthy little brats. Always around fiddling with things... could never leave anything alone! I finally had to put locks on all my cabinets. I had to, otherwise they might ruin something."

"and your misses, Russ. Any photographs of your wife?"

Russell shook his head no. "I have a picture here of my hat collection though. I had two hundred and seven baseball caps by the time I turned seventy five, traveled all around the country collecting them myself!"

Sally shook her head in disbelief.

"What?" Russ asked not understanding.

"Judy over there is waiting for me." Sally muttered as she stood from the table.

I watched the expression of hope dissolve from Russell as Sally hobbled over to her friend. "I have more photographs..." Russ whispered giving up.

For the next few weeks, Russell Makowski had a steady flow of visitors. His daughter Dawn and her son Toby visited twice a week. He had three son’s all of which took the time out of busy schedules to visit a father that had no desire to be cordial.

"What do you want?" Russ grumbled as his eldest daughter arrived.

"I flew in from Phoenix this morning dad. I wanted to see how you were getting along here." The daughter adjusted his crooked shirt collar as she took the seat across from him at the table in the community room.

"How and the heck do you think I’m getting along here? I’m an old dog and this is the city pound! I’m just waiting for those lunatics to throw on the gas mask to free up another bed!"
"Dad, please." The daughter protested.

"Listen Bridgett, I know your sister Dawn put me here so that she could sell off my Wurlitzer’s. I overheard her mention that she was in a financial hardship."

"That’s not why you’re here dad." Bridgett argued.

"You couldn’t wait to sell off my house, could you? Had me sign those papers, promising I could live with one of you. That only lasted a few months, didn’t it? Now I’m stuck here in this hell hole." The old man appeared unforgiving.

"It’s not safe for you to be alone remember? You burned down the place when you forgot and left the stove on and went to church."

"Accidents happen whether you’re old or not!" He argued.

"Listen, that’s all behind us now. You need to adjust to your new life. Besides, once mom was gone, you appeared quite lonely. Maybe you could make some new friends here." Bridgett mentioned in a hopeful tone.

"I didn’t need her, I don’t need anyone! I just want my old home back, is that asking too much?"

"It’ll be okay. Look at all the people you have to play checkers with and such."

"Everyone here is so old! ....and there’s those horrible cry’s and screams that go on all night. I think they must torture the elderly." He said with a snap in his tone.

"Nonsense dad."

"You try living here for a night and see how you like it! I demand that you take me out of here and find me a better place to live, an apartment somewhere or something."

"It’s not safe for you dad."

"Not safe, sure! You kids just want all my money, that’s all."

"You don’t have much to want dad. After the fire, the city condemned your house, the only revenue was from your land sale and we put that back into your bank account for future expenses. Your precious Wurlitzer’s burned right along with everything else, remember? After mom was gone you forgot to keep up on your homeowners insurance, it was a total loss."

"You know what I think?" Russ asked leaning forward.

"I think there never really was a fire. I bet you kids are all in cahoots. You wanted to get your fingers on my collections so that you could have ‘em as your own. I’m on to you!" He accused.

"You know better dad, really..."

"I’m going to call the police and have it investigated. You are all ungrateful brats, every one of you!" "After everything I did for you too!"

Bridgett shook her head, then stood.

"I’ll swing back before I leave tomorrow Dad. We’ll visit some more. You take it easy now."

"Don’t do me any favors!" Russ screamed as she hurried through the exit.

Beehive appeared all smiles as she entered the community lounge. "Did you have a nice visit with your daughter Russ?"

"Oh leave me the heck alone!" He shouted as Beehive turned on her heels and hurried away.

Two months passed and Russ became more and more withdrawn. If any resident made an attempt at being friendly, Russ became verbally abusive. Even the staff came to realize it was best to just leave him alone.

At every meal he became the only resident to have an entire table to himself. It became routine for him to sit closest to the fish tank and watch the angel fish circle above. Sadness and depression were apparent.

On a few occasions around two in the morning, Russ would appear staring into the tank his eyes wide with distress. Sometimes there were tears, other times there was anger.

I could overhear him complain on occasion about the bottle of forgotten prune juice and I honestly believe the reason no one did anything about it was because Russell Makowski was the one that had asked.

By April the snow had disappeared and severe thunderstorms became common. Violent lightning and earth rattling thunder had the residents on edge. Russell took to sitting in the patient lounge where he could monitor the storms and keep the fish company.

On one particular night, just as a cloud burst had begun, Russell appeared. The staff which was normally stationed at the front desk was off assisting one of the screamers, the anxiety of those escalated by the weather.

Russ stood there a moment gazing at the fish tank. With extreme care he lifted the florescent top and set it on the floor. "To heck with them!" He managed submerging his arm into the tank.

Unsure hands plunged into the water. The sleeve of his pajama’s absorbed the liquid as fish retreated with fright.

Leathery fingers grasped the juice bottle and in a moment the world around me became clear once again. Russ stood a moment eyeing the bottle. He kissed it gingerly then said, "You didn’t think I noticed you in there did you?"

He set me on the table then replaced the fish tank components. In the end, no one was the wiser except for the round puddle streaming from the table to the tile flooring below.

Paying close attention to the empty hallways, Russ shuffled back to his room carrying me as if he had found an ancient treasure.

Upon return, he closed the door. Although the room wasn’t very large, a rack of baseball caps lined the wall. There were only ten hanging and I guessed he had lost the bulk of his collection during the house fire.

Russell untwisted the lid and poured the stale juice onto the floor. "You can come out now."

In an instant my being was released from the glass. I twisted, contorted and with a massive pop, I was standing in full form. Russ’ eyes began to water. "Aren’t you a beauty!" He said through a chuckle.

"I’m Jeanne Wishgiven and you are allotted one wish, think hard since one is all I’m offering."

The man perched himself in a corner chair and stared with wonderment. "A single wish?" He repeated.

A few minutes later a slight grin pursed his lips.

"I want to be reunited with Doris." He said in a serious tone.

"I don’t believe I can do that. There are limits to the gifts we can give. You’ll have to wait to be reunited with Doris like all humans waiting for death."

"Death? Who and the heck ever said Doris is dead? She left me right after retirement. Never had the decency to confront me. I awoke after breakfast one morning to find a note on the table saying she was fed up. Can you imagine that? Just up and left after everything I did for her through the years....isn’t that gratitude for ya?"

"You haven’t seen her since?"

"That’s right. The kids refuse to tell me where she disappeared to. The woman divorced me and I have a right to know why."

I nodded at his request.

"Okay, Mr. Makowski. I’ll take you there."

"Right now?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Well let me change out of these pajama’s."

I left the room and wandered the hallway. A foul stench of urine was strong throughout. I strolled along the main hall and located the night staff watching movies in the patient lounge. I coughed as they gazed up in surprise.

"I’m with the State board and I’m here for a surprise inspection!" I snapped with authority.

Immediately everyone jumped from their reclining position. They reminded me of a family of marbles rolling off from a center point of impact.

"Give us ten minutes, please!" A nurses’ aid pleaded. "You caught us in the middle of a break."

"I’ll do better. I’ll stop back another time during the night shift unannounced. I’d better find this building glistening with cleanliness and meeting all state requirements or else you will all be unemployed!"

Everyone acknowledged my threat and I hurried back to Russell Makowski who was now ready and waiting.

"Where were you off to?" He asked with curiosity.

"Oh, I was just checking the place out."

"Pretty grim, isn’t it?"

I shrugged my shoulders as I took his hand. "I need you to think about the last time you saw your wife. In order to find her, we need to follow her forward from that morning. Can you recall it?"

Russ grinned. "As if it were yesterday."

In a moment we appeared in the tidy kitchen of Russell’s former home. Swinging from the kitchen and peering around a corner we noticed the television was blaring in the sitting room. Russ, a younger version by ten or so years was in a large recliner clicking through various programs.

Back in the kitchen, a kind looking woman who I assumed to be Doris entered from the pantry carrying a sack of flour. Her eyes appeared sad as she opened the bag, adding flour to her rue. As soon as it thickened, she poured in the milk and soon it bubbled into a thick gravy. In the final step, she added chunks of precooked sausage.

"Can’t you hurry up any? I’m starving out here!" Russ barked as he slammed the morning paper to the coffee table.

Doris' gaze reflected her despair. "I can’t do this any longer." She whispered to herself. "This is going to be your last breakfast!" She said sliding homemade biscuits from the oven.

A few minutes later, Doris placed the food on the table, poured the coffee, then sat down. "Russ, breakfast is on!" She announced.

As if his feet were on turbo-boost, Russ stormed into the room and plopped himself at the table. "Where’s the cream for my coffee Doris?" He asked with commanding tone.

"Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot." Doris stood and hurried to the refrigerator. A moment later she placed the container in front of him, opening the carton as she set it down.

After she was nestled into her seat and was about to take a bite, Russell announced, "this gravy needs pepper. Why don't you grab me some?" Immediately Doris stood and retrieved the pepper.

"Anything else?" She asked with an attitude.

"No. Now why are you getting so upset with me?"

Biting her lower lip, she shook her head refusing to answer.

After breakfast, Russell hurried from the table to his recliner. After repositioning some pillows, he turned on the television and fell into a lazy nap.

Doris on the other hand, cleared the table, loaded the dishwasher then hand washed the gravy pan. She pulled the broom from the closet and swept the kitchen floor. A moment later, she took out the garbage. Upon return she clicked off the light and headed into the sitting room with Russ. Since he was snoring, she tiptoed over to him and slid the remote from under his hand. Russ stirred, but she was successful in the maneuver.

The minute she changed channels, he bolted upright and began to scream like a lunatic. "What the heck do you think you’re doing Doris? I was watching that show! Give me back the remote! Don’t you have something better to do than watch TV anyway?"

Anger registered on her face as she stomped from the room down the hallway and into the bedroom. Russ and I in our invisible state, popped inside through the door and watched as she pulled her suitcase from under the bed. Doris began to pack.

"This has been a long time coming!" She exclaimed. "I’ve put up with too much bologna from you through the years. What a fool I’ve been! A person can only take so much.......one day you wake up and say, this is it! No more! You just wait Russell Makowski!"

Doris pulled things and stuffed others. She moved like an efficient tornado through the room and in the end, everything in her path was neat and organized.

She slid the packed bag into the closet. Doris strolled to the doorway and peered into the sitting room. A moment later she scrounged a used envelope from a bank statement and began to pen her farewell on the flip-side.

In a few short minutes all was said. She propped the note on the night stand next to Russell’s side of the mattress and returned to the door to gaze out. "He’s asleep." she whispered to herself as she hurried to the closet to grab the bag.

As we followed Doris to the car, I felt conflicting emotions from Russell, grief mixed with remorse.

We hitched a ride invisible to the world around us. Doris began to sob as the car furthered itself from her longtime home. "Why did you have to be such a grumpy old fool Russell?" She asked out loud.

From the back seat, Russell shifted with discomfort finally understanding his true nature and his effect on the people in his life.

Time shuffled forward at an accelerated pace. Flickers of light and images were strewn. It all reminded me of a dandelion and the way the seeds are blown about in a simple gust. Instead of this being seeds, the images around were portions of Doris’ life without Russell. Once all of the images fell away we stood outside of a doorway. The siding on the home was yellow and everything about the exterior was meticulously kept.

Russell appeared pensive as I placed my finger to the doorbell. "Wait." He said breathing with strain. "Just give me a moment here." The man began to show his age and a sense of exhaustion became apparent.

"Okay." He whispered, pulling a comb from his trousers and sweeping it through his flyaway hair.

"Who could it be at this hour?" Doris called from the opposite side of the enclosure. The door swung open and Doris stood with her jaw extended in shock. Her eyes swept from Russell to me, then back again. "What do you want?" She asked calmly.

"I want to apologize Doris." Russ managed swinging inside uninvited. I followed with hesitation as Doris closed the door behind.

"Apologize?" She asked with disbelief.

"Yeah. I’ve been a real dope. I took you for granted when I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry about that."

Doris nodded, then gazed at me. "I never thought I’d live to see the day..." She commented.

"I’m not here to ask anything of you Doris. I met up with Jeanne Wishgiven here and she showed me some aspects of our marriage that I’m not very proud of. I actually intended to ask you why you ever left me...upon reflection, I realize..... I blamed you for most of it, but as it turns out, I was the one at fault."

Doris stood in shock, her eyes studying Russell as if he were a total stranger.

"I realize I was somewhat difficult all along. It wasn’t that I didn’t love you honey, it was just how I learned from my parents. My dad was never much of a family man, and although that isn’t any excuse, when a person doesn’t know any different, how can they overcome what they’ve been programmed to believe?"

"Well, I’ve had my say. I just wanted you to know you had every right to leave me like you did. I’m sorry I was such a stinker all those years. If I could go back and change things, I suppose I’d work to be a better husband to you and a better father to the kids."

"Let’s get a move on now Jeanne." He said as we headed to the door.

Doris stood brushing a solitary tear from her cheek. "Wait a minute Russ." She said as we stepped onto the stoop of her condominium.

"I’m sorry too. I should have put my foot down when you ran around every weekend to dance halls and such. I should never have allowed you to yell at the kids when they were younger and just being kids... Part of their attitude towards you is because of what I allowed, for that I am sorry."

Russ nodded and his posture reflected remorse as we began to stroll down the driveway. Doris yelled out, "I hear you’re at the Sunnyside Retirement Home, at least that’s what Dawn told me. Is that right?"

"Yeah." Russell answered.

"You wouldn’t want me to visit from time to time, would you?" She asked.

"I wouldn’t exactly complain Doris."

Doris nodded as we headed down the street. The moment we were out of sight, we dissolved and fell into Russ’ room tumbling to the floor. When I released his hand, Russ appeared to have a new lease on life. The depression had lifted and he actually smiled genuine.

"I can’t thank you enough Miss Wishgiven."

"No need to thank me." I said as my surroundings spun out. The world from the point of Russell Makowski's room faded away. In the process of the leap, I began to wonder about what had become of my own parents. Did they end up in a place similar to Sunnyside Retirement? Were they able to cope without the financial backing of the Winslow's. I needed to learn about their life after my escape and the only person that could fill me in was Robert Wright. Rules or no rules, I needed for him to remember.