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POOR SOULS

posted Tuesday, 13 May 2008
 
POOR SOULS

    Saw a man yesterday while I was waiting for the ink supply place tp open that I knew from my morning coffees at the Howe Street Starbucks. He was in the first stages of Huntington's Chorea which is a cruel rapid onset of dementia featuring the symptoms of rapid kicking motion of the top leg when seated and aimless walking to no purpose ending up being lost many miles from home. I had tried to engage the man in conversation and he, at that time, seemed lucid and recognized me thereafter.

    Not so yesterday even though he took a seat just outside the window where I was sitting at in the Seymour Street Starbucks between Smythe and Nelson. I noticed that he sat outside and promptly went to sleep without crossing his legs and going into the spasmodic kicking motion that used to bother me because he would sit just inside my peripheral vision which drew my eyes to him and caused me to want to admonish him because, he was like a child that will engage in repetitive behavior to get the attention of a parent by annoying the hell out of that parent.

    Of course he was not in control so I would have to wrench my attention away from him and turn my back so I didn't fixate on the kicking and concentrate on my journal and coffee. When I saw him I noted that he was well dressed, shaved and clean, with sensible shoes in good repair and I wondered if he had a "minder" or a GPS so people could find him when he wandered away. While I was thinking about going outside and seeing if he remembered me, he got up and rapidly walked south and then north with a puzzled look on his face.

    Our streets seem full of disabled people, both mentally and physically, some seeming to able cope, some not. I started to wonder why there seemed to be more than there was say, ten years ago. Was it that ten years ago I was oblivious to their presence and only now notice them? I don't have any statistical data to back up the anecdotal  evidence but it seems that way to me.

La Dolce Vita!

Ciao, JWL
 
p.s. Seventy two years old today, so far, so good.  




1. billy willbond left...
Tuesday, 13 May 2008 7:33 am

The chemicals in food and the fumes in the air cause cancers and dementia and the loss of our hair- It has increased in the last 10 years- In 1980 I started the walk-away book at CSPD and by 1990 it was 2 inches thick-by 1990 it was 6 inches thick-the increase in the numbers of dementia cases living in the municipality had and has steadily increased. We are just now starting to notice it - Good observations John - We see them on the street in increased numbers everywhere. - You take care my friend - billy


2. catty left...
Wednesday, 14 May 2008 3:41 pm :: http://savetheamericanfamily.blog-city.c

Look at how many children have autism. I don't remember anyone having that when I was younger. Yet, there are still people who don't think humans have an impact on the world around them.


3. kevin g left...
Wednesday, 14 May 2008 6:37 pm :: http://missedexit.blog-city.com

JWL, a happy 72nd to you. As both Billy and Catty have mentioned, there is so much we really ingest, that can possibly be spread to our children. Autism, I have 1st cousins who've started families, and if they have had more than 2 kids, there is autism! If it's from vaccine's or what, I don't know, but it's there, and it's growing. As far as mental health, the monies aren't being spent the way they should. You have these huge drug firms w/ their hands in the political pockets, whilst people like you mentioned, are left to the streets, even w/ family, that's not often enough! Wanted to add more, but the wife reminded me, I've got to be up early in the AM for Jury Duty, call me Juror #11! Hoping you're feeling better after all the tests and prodding!