March 29, 2009

For the past several months Ralph and I would go visit his dad in the Bennion Care Center. It is the same care center that Mam was in when she passed away, and the same care center my dad was in when he passed away. I knew Ernie was in the same hall as my dad, but I thought it was a different room. On Friday night when we last went to see Ernst, I realized that he is in the exact same room, just a different bed. I looked at the number of the room and knew at that moment that is was the same room.
I gave Ernst two hair cuts after we found out Michelle was paying a lot for the hair cuts he was receiving. We helped him eat some meals occasionally. He was easy to tease and talk to for me. I would poke him in the sides, poke him up his chest and to his nose, and just tease him. He had a hard time getting any words out and his hands would shake when he was trying to talk. I told him by shaking my hands back that I hadn't learned sign language and he would laugh. During the past 39 years since I've known him, I was never able to say much to him. It was kind of nice being able to talk to him and bring a smile to his face.