Frederick

You know...if no guy will ask you out, sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands.  

To be fair, I didn't go cruising for guys, but lo and behold, I found me one.  

It's the Monday of the August long weekend and I decided I needed a tiny little patch of real estate next to the water.  I opted to break routine and head for fresh water instead of salt.  I wanted to park my lawn chair, read my book, and have some restorative quiet time and headed to the Puntledge River.  

Yeah...not so much.  The parking lot and all roads leading to and from the river were full.  That's OK - I had a Plan B. I decided to hit the inland highway to Qualicum.  The tide was out and there would be plenty of real estate there for me.  I took the cut at Powerhouse Road and was (I thought) going to hook up with Cumberland Road.  Where Powerhouse Road meets Lake Trail Road I stopped before turning right and as I did, there was an old guy about to cross in front of me.  I smiled and waited for him to slowly  shuffle to safety.  I wondered how long he had been walking.  He had his water bottle. Check. Had some good walking boots on. Check.  But it was also pushing 30 C in the midday heat.  I continued on my way, turning right and somehow thinking I could find a cut over to Cumberland Road.  As I drove I gave myself a mild little guilt trip.  

"You should have offered him a ride, Annette." 

I meandered further up Lake Trail and realized - nope - the cut I thought was there is not.  Time to turn around and head for what would now be Plan C.  As I drove the other way down Lake Trail, sure enough, that old guy was still trudging down the road.  Time for a redemptive moment, Annette.  I pulled over on the side of the road and called out to the old guy. 

"Can I give you a lift somewhere?"  

He smiled at me and immediately started to walk across the road.  "Dude", I'm thinkin' "look both ways".  I called out again, 

"Where can I take you?"  

No response.  Likely hard of hearing.  By the time he got to the front of my car I realized maybe I was in for more than just a simple ride.  He tentatively moved around the hood and to the passenger side but seemed confused on how to open the door.  I opened it for him and repeated:

"Where can I take you?  Can I take you home?" 

There were no intelligible words that came from his lips, only noises.  Now I knew I had an escapee on my hands.  But what to do with him?  Even if he knew his address, he couldn't convey that to me.  He had difficulty getting both feet into my car and even more trying to close the door.  As he struggled I noticed a bracelet on his right arm.  Cha-Ching!  I really hoped his address was on that bracelet. I turned off the car and walked around telling him I would help him, not to worry.  When I got to the car door, I gently lifted his arm and saw what I had hoped - a Medic Alert bracelet.  This would hold some answers. I turned over the medallion and there was what I had suspected. Dementia. Aphasia. Glaucoma.  And his name. 

Frederick. 

I smiled at him and said, "I like your bracelet Frederick". 

He grinned back at me. There was not the address I hoped for, but I dialed the 1-800 number for medic alert and got the very pleasant, calm and helpful Sherry.  

"Hi Sherry - my name's Annette and I have Frederick here with me. I found him walking down a road and his bracelet says he has Dementia and Aphasia.  I'm wondering if you can help me get him where he needs to be?"

As she was taking my information and location Frederick decided this hold up on the side of the road was getting him nowhere fast. He had a destination in mind and I was causing a delay.  He made some moves to get out of the car. He was not aggressive but I was not about to let him leave until I knew his story. I softly slipped my hand into his and he decided he could sit there awhile after all.  

I smiled at him and said, "I'm finding your address Frederick and I'll have you home soon."   

I recited the ID number on Frederick's bracelet.  His file came up and Sherry told me that she had some family members phone numbers on file.  If I could hold for a moment, she would try to call. In no time I was put through to his daughter Roberta.  I explained who I was, where I was, and how I happened across her father and she seemed unconcerned.  She laughed a little.  "Sounds like he was headed to his girlfriends house." she said.  

Say what?  (OK - I know this is not about me but just hold the phone a second!  This 80 year old guy with dementia who can't carry on a conversation has a girlfriend??  I can't even get a date for coffee. Seriously??)  OK - now that I have that out of my system...

Roberta gave me directions to Bev's house (yup - that's his girlfriends name) and sure enough, it was just past the end of Lake Trail Road.  I buckled Frederick back in to his seat, disengaged my hand and told him, "I'll drive you to Bev's house".  He smiled back at me. In less than 60 seconds I pulled in front of a house that had seen better days.  Front windows wide open trying to beat the heat. I helped him out of the car, handed him his water bottle and walked toward the door. I rang the bell several times and wondered what does an 80 year old dementia patients girlfriend look like? On my second ring I wondered if she might be wheelchair bound or in need of a walker.  Maybe she couldn't answer the door.  I hoped we even had the right house.  I looked back at Frederick and he smiled then started to walk past me.  He would take it from here.  He opened the door like he owned the place and I heard a voice call out. "Hello?"  As the door opened, two dogs appeared as did a small skinny woman, I suspect around my age or slightly older, who's nationality I couldn't place.  

"Are you Bev?"  

She answered affirmatively, her mouth popping wide open revealing a startling lack of teeth.  Huh, I thought. Frederick smiled and nodded his thanks at me as he made his way into the house.  Bev thanked me and waved.  

"Bye Frederick!"

Plan D, here I come.