Road Trip (2018 Wattys Long List)

Chapter 3

The sun was streaming in through Harvey's bedroom window when he awoke and for a minute he had no idea where he was. Oh, yes. The fabulous Glenwood Retirement Home, how could he forget? He sighed and struggled out of bed, shrugged into his house coat and made his way to the bathroom. He needed to go badly, but he strained for a good minute before he started to urinate. Nothing worked right anymore, goddam it! When he finished, he ran hot water in the sink, washed his face and upper body, then shaved and combed what little hair he still had. Nothing but chicken feathers, he thought, as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. No, not even chicken feathers, more like the down on a whip-poor-will's ass. That brought a smile to his lips and his mood lightened a little. Face it Old Man, you are over the hill and this is all there is left for you, now. You had better get used to it.

After a breakfast of coffee and toast, Harvey poked around the apartment. The place was small, compared to his and Martha's old house, so it made him feel closed in and isolated. What was happening downstairs, he wondered. What were the days going to be like, living here from now on? Only one way to find out, he mused, as he grabbed his cane and headed for the door. He took the elevator to the first floor and stepped out into the lobby.

"Ah, good morning Mr. Feldman! Nice to see you out and about today. Did you sleep well? Do you feel at home here yet? I hope you do." Vivian Lennox was hurrying toward him, carrying a stack of books in her arms.

"I slept fine, I suppose. I can't say I felt at home, but I slept well enough", Harvey replied.

"I'm sure you will get used to living here in no time at all", Vivian said soothingly, a big smile on her face. "Do you like books, Mr. Feldman? Have you checked out the library? I'm on my way there with some new additions that were donated to us. I can take you there if you would like."

"No, go without me, I visited the library for a few minutes yesterday. I do enjoy a good book, now and then, and I will be going there again sometime, but not just now. You just call me Harvey. That's my name."

"I shall do that, Harvey. And you can call me Vivian. We are all family here."

Harvey looked around the large reception room as Vivian left him to deliver her arm load of books to the library. Well, that was pleasant enough. He had been a lot more civil than yesterday. It was amazing to Harvey how much his mood had improved with a little better attitude on his part. He noticed a door across the room with the words 'Coffee Room' stencilled on the glass. With the aide of his cane, he shuffled toward it like a three-legged dog. He peered in and recognized the same three old people that he had met in the library the day before. They were seated at a round cafeteria style table, styrofoam coffee cups in front of them. The big guy, Stu, looked up and saw him through the glass. Smiling broadly, he waved and gestured for him to come on in.

Harvey pulled the glass door open and made his way shyly into the room.

"Good morning, ahh, Harvey, isn't it? Pull up a chair and sit down. The coffee is terrible but it's free here. If we don't drink it, they will probably dump it out somewhere and risk polluting the environment, most likely," Stu chuckled at his own joke.

Harvey was unsure about all of this, but reluctantly, he shuffled over to the table and sat down in the only empty chair that remained. Maybe he would try to be a little more civil this time. See how that goes.

"Good morning", he said, addressing all three.

"Do you drink coffee or tea? Reg, get Harvey a drink, will you? Whatever he wants."

"Sure thing, I can do that", Reg said, jumping up. It was obvious that Stu was the brains of this little operation and Reg was his right hand man. "What'll it be, Harvey, coffee or tea?"