Shanelle Jones sat in the front of the room ready to start her first day. A tall man came in with his head down and went straight to the last row. Most people will drift to the back of a meeting room afraid they’re going to get called on or heckled or something but Shanelle sat front and center. She didn’t want to miss a thing.
“Good morning, everyone,” Anita said when she came in and stood in front of the group. “I’m very excited to welcome you to the Golden Years Retirement Manor. In case you don’t remember I’m Mrs. Harris, the administrator of this facility.” She swiped up on her tablet. “This morning we need to get some paperwork out of the way, take pictures for ID badges and do some orientation. Before you leave you will be paired with a counterpart from another facility. You can discuss your schedule for the next couple of weeks as you will be shadowing them to learn the basics of your position. Once that’s completed you will return here for a week prior to opening so you can get familiar with the facility and work with our more seasoned employees on procedures and policies that pertain specifically to this facility. Following that we will begin welcoming in our first ten residents with more to follow weekly after that. Does anyone have any questions?”
Shanelle raised her hand.
“Do we get to choose the facility we will train in or our trainer?”
“Unfortunately no, we don’t have a lot of time before our opening day so we need to get everyone ready to go. Facilities have already been determined and you will meet your trainer, who has already been assigned to you, before you leave today. Anyone else? No? OK then we will do this in groups. The papers I just handed you have a letter code at the top. Group A if you would head down the hall to the personnel office so we can begin your new hire paperwork. Group B, please see Mr. Miller and he will take you to have your ID badges processed. Group C stay here and you will watch the orientation video.”
Shanelle was in group C so she stayed in her seat and shuffled through the paperwork while the other groups shuffled off to their own assignments.
“OK,” Mrs. Harris continued. “Now that we have some room you guys in the back can come up closer and we’ll get the video started.”
The tall guy sat next to Shanelle and introduced himself as Mike Carson.
“Shanelle Jones. I am a nurses aide” she said. They nodded to each other, handshakes being mostly a thing of the past.
“S’up. I’m an orderly. Not quite sure what that means exactly except that I get a paycheck at the end of the week.”
“I guess you’ll find out today. That’s what we’re here for,” Shanelle replied. “I’m going to be a nurse, a pediatric nurse, specifically.”
“What’s that mean?”
“A nurse for kids,” she explained.
“You’re kind of at the wrong end, aren’t you? This place is for old people. They’re not going to have kids here too, are they?”
“No, of course not. I just need to get some experience. I’m applying to nursing school at St. Dominic’s where they pay for your education if you work for them for at least two years after.”
“Sweet.”
“What do you want to do? Not be an orderly forever, I’m guessing.”
“Nah. I don’t know, dude. No clue.”
Anita came back in and told them when the video was finished they could help themselves to coffee and Danish but to hang tight in the room. They would be called when they were needed at the next station. Then she started the recording and left the room.
“Welcome to the Barrett Foundation,” the script on the screen read over an old photo of the manor.
“Does this seem off to you?” Mike asked Shanelle. Eyebrows lowered, she nodded.
Anita got about 25 hours of sleep a week between orientation and the arrival of the first ten residents. Hattie Jenkins, Evelyn Rogers and Maureen Gallagher would be in the memory unit as they all suffered from dementia. James Reese and Roberto Alvarez were mentally stable but wheelchair bound and in need of physical care. Gladys Hanlon and Eddie and Teddy Keller were in assisted living suites larger than the regular rooms. Gladys and Eddie were mostly functional but had particular needs that made it unsafe for them to live alone. Teddy simply would not be without his brother.
When the Keller twins were six years old they put a toad in theirs sister’s lunchbox and watched until it hopped out right on her head. Even after she gave them matching black eyes for their trouble they laughed themselves sick. Eddie and Teddy are their names, pranking is their game.
Peg Simmons was recovering from knee replacement surgery. She would be a temporary resident in the rehab ward and Frank Ferguson had a long road of therapy ahead, and so far it wasn’t going well, but he could potentially live independently again.
After Mike wheeled Maureen to her room and brought her things to her, he came back into the lobby to find the next new resident walking in the door. Unlike the others who were resigned at best, she waltzed in arms wide, spinning around, mouth agape.
Her hair was bright yellow. She had a polka dot dress with a thick purple belt around the waist. She wore huge sunglasses and sequined orthopedic shoes.
“Oh, can you believe this?” she called out. “Hey, son, can you check me in? Do we get our picture taken? Are there assigned seats?”
When he stood next to her she had to crane her neck up to see him. He asked her if she thought she was here for a premiere or something.
“What is your job here, doll?” she asked.
“I’m an orderly,” Mike answered.
“Then follow orders,” she told him. “The Whitworth Manor, can you imagine?” Gladys said taking in the lobby like it was a luxury hotel instead of a nursing home.
“Golden Years is what it’s called now,” Kate said walking up behind her.
“Nonsense, that’s a ridiculous name,” Gladys said. “The Whitworth Manor is what it will always be to me. I can’t believe I’m living here.”
Kate demanded to see the admissions director and Mike pointed her toward Anita. Her husband came in with the rest of Gladys’ things and joined them.
“I wish you had told me about this sooner, mom. I could have prepared better.” Kate said. Then to her husband “You have the papers, right? You brought them with you? They were on the table.”
“Yes, yes” he said holding a hand up to stop her. “I have everything. Relax.”
Anita came out and introduced herself. “Welcome back, Gladys,” she said.
“What does that mean, ‘Welcome back?’ When were you here?” Kate asked. She can’t stand not being in control, Gladys thought.
“I was here to do the registration paperwork last week. I’m all set. Right, Mrs. H?”
“Yep, all set. Should we just get you signed in and you can move into your suite?”
“Let’s do, doll. I’ve got a schedule to keep,” Gladys responded.
Kate and her husband followed Anita into her office. “I have full power of attorney,” Kate was saying as they walked away.
“What a bitch,” Mike said.
“Tell me about it,” Gladys replied. “Are those my boxes from Amazon?” she asked pointing to a large shipment sitting at the front desk.
“Are you Gladys?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then yes.”
“Wonderful, bring them to my room won’t you? Which is where by the way?”
“I’m not the bellhop. This isn’t a hotel. Have you even signed in yet?”
“My people are handling that,” she gave a dismissive wave toward the office. Her daughter, Kate, and her husband could be seen in the office with Mrs. Hayes. Kate repeatedly stabbing the papers in her hand with her finger while she spoke to Mrs. Harris.
“Hang on.” Mike went to the office to get the room number. Kate turned her stabby finger in Mike’s direction while she barked demands at him.”
“Yeah, got it,” he said waiving her off and walking away before she was finished. He came back and led Gladys to a small suite in the Assisted Living section on the first floor, then went back for the boxes.
“Can you get me a box cutter?” she asked when he came back in with them.
“No,” he replied.
“What am I supposed to do, break a nail?” She waved her freshly manicured nails at him.
“I’ll take care of it,” Mike said and began opening boxes.
“Alright. Open them, I can empty them. I’ll let you know when I need the empties taken away. Here’s a little something for you,” she said. She passed him a folded up dollar bill.
“Again, not the bell boy. You don’t tip me.”
“Nonsense. Let me treat you. Don’t get used to it. I’m on a fixed budget. There now. That’s it and that’s done.”
“Yes, mam” he replied because he had no idea what else to say. He put the dollar in his pocket.
“Now you listen to me, young man,” she said one hand on a hip, finger of the other wagging in his face. My name is Gladys. I identify as Gladys. I’m not anyone’s missus anymore. My daughter is grown. There’s no ‘mom’ here. ‘Mrs. Hanlon is long retired. I’m damn sure not ‘mam’. It’s Gladys. That’s it. Got it?”
Mike looked at her brows furrowed. “Got it,” he said.
“Hey, where’s that lobby. I want to make sure my daughter got the hell out of here.”
Mike laughed and walked her back out just as Kate and her husband were leaving Anita’s office.
“They’ll take good care of you here, mom.”
“I don’t need taking care of. I’m living in the Whitworth Manor. I’ll be running this joint inside a month,” she said picking up a blanket that had fallen on the floor and draping it over Hattie Jenkins’ knees. “Here you are, doll.” Gladys smiled and patted her hand.
“God help them,” Kate mumbled.
Beth Fisher 