Overheard at Senior Homes, Part 13

I teach writing and printmaking classes at senior homes in Los Angeles. Over the years, I’ve kept a journal of the memorable things I’ve seen and heard.

Marie is an 82-year old woman in my Northridge printmaking class. She recently purchased a $15K state-of-the-art electric wheelchair. Unfortunately, the wheelchair is too large for the senior van that shuttles residents to medical appointments. The driver suggested Marie call the company that sold her the wheelchair to see if they could arrange a trade-in for a smaller chair.

“So I called the company and asked to speak to a manager,” Marie told me. “The company president got on the phone and asked what’s wrong. I told her I had weekly doctor’s appointments and my wheelchair was too big for the van. She asked how far away the doctor’s office was from the senior home. I told her 15 miles. She said my wheelchair had a battery range of 25 miles. All I had to do was ride my chair on the streets to the doctor’s office, recharge the battery, then ride back home. She did some quick calculations and said if I went at the maximum speed of 15 miles per hour, it would only take me one hour each way. Can you believe she said that to me?”

“What’d you say in response,” I asked.

“I asked if she’d say the same thing if the situation involved her own mother. She said her…