A Night in the "Country"

As a long-time caregiver for the elderly and disabled, one of the most satisfying parts of my work has been to travel with the people I provide care for.  Sometimes, the adventures take place a thousand miles away, and other times, they happen right in my backyard... literally! 

Take my experience with "D" for example.  It was only recently that she and I shared some exciting moments with a skunk on my front porch.  "D" is mildly developmentally disabled, and we've known each other for years.  In fact, she is like a sister to me.  I invited her to sleep over my house two weeks ago so that we could take in a movie the next day at a local theater.  I live about an hour north of "D", and though not that far of a distance, it's enough to separate suburban from "country."

 

"D" had been at my house before, and was quite taken with my cats.  I have three boys, all extremely quirky.  "D" had not yet met my most elusive feline, a white, fluffy creature with a tiger-stripe patch running up his back.  Aptly named Fluffy, the poor thing has the great misfortune of looking like a skunk.  My cats are indoor/outdoor, so I always leave some food and water on the top step, directly outside my front door. 

 

At one point during the evening, I thought I saw Fluffy slinking up the front walkway.  Excited, I encouraged "D" to come and see.  Imagine our surprise when we opened the front door to find an actual skunk!   I was near panic mode, but "D" remained cool as a cucumber.  Turns out she grew up in a home near the woods that welcomed many wild animals.  Interesting as this was, I did not quite trust her skills as a "skunk whisperer" and slammed the door shut before we got sprayed.  Suffice it to say that even if we had been sprayed, "D" would have known how to handle it.  Just another day in the country for her.  It's amazing how much I have to learn from the people I serve. 

Oh!  The film we saw was "Epic," the ironically appropriate Pixar flick about the many magical creatures that lurk right in our own backyards! 

Next entry, I'll take you on one of my far away journies with an elderly gem named "M".