All Dressed Up

     This poem was inspired by a particularly particular home care client, the buzz word now is consumer, which I consider inappropriate, our clients don't eat us, except in this case.  "Roxanne" consumed my time, patience and love of old people.  Fortunately she moved on to "bless" another home care provider.

     All Dressed Up

The first thing I do when I arrive at Roxanne's
is retrieve the appropriate pair of shoes
from the stacks of shoe boxes in her closet,
with the tissue still inside.

Next we go into the bathroom
where I spray and pin her carefully arranged hair.
I fasten her chosen selection of necklaces and bracelets
while she puts on her freshly sanitized earrings.

Then I help her select a jacket
from the two dozen in her coat closet.
It is hard for me to help match
her outfit to her jacket
since I only have four to choose from at home.

She hands me the bag with her curlers and brushes
to take to the beauty shop.
Only her own will do.
All the while she is humming
a light hearted melody
that seems out of place.

Finally ready, I help her into my car.
I am paid to transport her
because the friends who used to
don't come around anymore
and her children seldom call.
She has no idea why.

We drive directly to the beauty shop,
a one chair affair attached to the stylist's home.
The first thing the stylist does is remove the pins
and wash out the hairspray.
No other customers will be coming while Roxanne is there.

All dressed up. . .