memories

Well its that time of year and Christmas is creeping up our way! This particular time of this year brings back some HILARIOUS memories.  I have always been around the 'healthcare' system so to speak ever since I was...well...practically born because my mom, as many of you know, is a nurse.  Part of my biggest childhood memories are of me spending time getting to know and developing relationships with her residents.  It is amazing what you learn and definitely what you hear and say. 
While I was shopping today at Victorias' Secret one specific resident of my mothers'...(weird i know but you have to know the ol' woman)...came to mind and I just chuckled right there in the middle of the store.

This lady went by the name of Miss Gracie.  Now anyone, hearing that name, has a sweet little woman who shows nothing but tender love and care comes to mind.  Well...you're wrong.  Don't get me wrong, she loveddddd me honey but Gracie was a kind of her own.  Let me tell you....So the story begins.....

Miss Gracie, 98 years of age, came to my mom's nursing home about 2 years or so ago.  I would hear my mom talk and talk about this lady and I could not wait to just see what the whole thing was about.  So about two days before Christmas, I went and gathered up some Hersey kisses and put them in a pretty basket and drove up to Clinton (where my mom works) to go visit the residents and most of all..Gracie.  So I get there and start walking and all of a sudden I hear this old woman hollering at a CNA saying, "you better get your nasty N***** hands off of me, or I'm going to beat the hell out of you" So i'm thinking to myself Lord, that's not Miss Georgia Bee, definitely not Mr. Thomas, or Ms. Lilly, or any of the other residents whom i'm familiar with...sounds like a racist old white woman.  So I keep heading towards the dining hall and out pops from the room and old COLORED woman.  She has one leg, and little bitty braids, and the biggest smile with about 2 teeth total still intact to her gums.  She wheels herself towards me and the first thing out of her mouth was "Lord honey child, you could have made some good money back in the day."  I, startled am thinking I KNOW that she's not talking about what I think she is.  Right after directly my mom walks and says now Gracie, this is my daughter Ashley Rose.  Right then I definitely believed everything my mom had said.  Turns out this little ol' firecracker of a woman was the driver of the Kennedys and was what we like to call a 'madame' back in the day...yes, you heard right...a madame...aka over the prostitutes. 

If that wasn't enough in itself when I started to have a convo with her I would have thought I was in sex ed....well...I take that back...more like a sex rehab trying to solve my problems.  I would ask her how she made so much money and she would say "girl I would bring in the money" and I'd say Ms. Gracie how, and she said "I would just moan and make a little noise and boy that brought in the dollars".  I could have fell out of my chair.  After talking to her for about two hours I began to realize that the reason she sounded so racist against the African American decent was because she SWORE i mean swore up and down on her mammas grave that she was WHITE....so here I am, having a conversation about sex with a 98 year old woman, WHO drove for the Kennedys, is a millionaire, and was over all the prostitutes in Washington.....AND on top of it all...claims she is white.  whew, that is a mouth full.

Even, though, Gracie was a big ball of mess, and old as dirt she was actually a pretty sweet lady...to me at least, I think the CNA's at NHC would have another opinion.  She was a kind of her own.  If you were not dressed up, she plain out told you you looked like shit.  But she did teach me that "honey you never know who you are gonna see or meet".  Sadly, Gracie passed away last year.  Hated to see her go but Lord I know shes kicking it up there in heaven.....well I just pray she made it there.

But here is to you Grace-face.  I miss you, and you were a joy to be around and definately have given me some memories I shall take to my grave.  I love you and would have you know I am making lots of money and will be making even more come 3 years but in a more so "non-prostitute" way ;)