Visiting Dad, Day 4

Today went well but didn't have much going on. Dad was in bed napping when I arrived and woke after about a half hour. He spoke for a while, and then drifted to sleep off and on. Much of the time when he wasn't sleeping he lay on his back watching the birds, mostly nuthatches and chickadees, eat from the feeder outside his window. When I'd filled it I'd also strewn seed along the window sill. He'd grin and say, Oh!, when a dark head popped up and seemed to peek in at us.

About 330 he woke up again, this time saying, Did you tell me my brother Georgie died? Yes, Dad, I said. So that means there's only two of us left? Two out of six? It's just me and Carroll. Yes, Dad, you and Carroll are the only two left. He laid back again and said, Oh, Carroll, I don't know. It's so hard.

I said, I know it's hard, Dad. But I'm Bobby, not Carroll. He leaned up on one elbow. You're not Carroll? No, I'm Bobby. Your son, Bobby. You're Bobby? You're not Bobby. Yes, Dad, I'm your son, Bobby. You're sure? Yes, Dad, I'm sure.

That's when he laid back down again and said, Oh, Bobby, I don't know. For the rest of our afternoon he knew who I was.