Today's trip was to a nursing home just outside the city. We had a small group today because some of the kids were nervous that the "old people are going to kidnap me!" The brave ones, their teachers, and I, along again for the ride, took off for an afternoon of crafts.
The bus ride was pretty uneventful this time. They weren't quite ready for us when we arrived, so we played with some Jacob's Ladders and pictures. Still mostly uneventful, and I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have anything to blog about. But I forgot that we were still missing one very important piece of the day: the residents.
The kids were a little nervous at first when entering the rec room. The Activities Coordinator introduced us to a man and a woman sitting at one table playing cards. The man, James*, looked up at us and asked who we were and where we were from. Then he asked, "Where are these kids' mom?" and he looked expectantly up to me, as if to say, "these are your kids, right?"
"Yes," I thought, "I birthed all 7 of these same-aged Latino and African American kids.".
"It's an afterschool program," is what I actually said.
A few kids sat down at the table and one student, Carlos, was so excited about James that he started to tell him, "I want to be your friend! You're going to be my friend!"
Another girl asked, "Do you have any teeth at all?"
"Nope, none. I need to go to the dentist. How can I do that?" He asked me. I told him I had no idea, I was with the kids.
"So wait, do you even have one tooth?" The girl continued.
"Nope, none."
Meanwhile, Carlos was in mid construction of a little sign that he wanted to give to James expressing his desire to be friends. He proudly finished with this:
After some gentle guidance from the teacher he made it a little clearer:
Unfortunately, James still couldn't figure out why we were there or what we were here for. "What are you here for? Is this therapy?"
"I guess," I replied.
"For you or for us?"
James did take a picture with Carlos and the sign** even though he didn't really understand. Carlos didn't get why James was so distant, but he did tell me on the bus later, "I made a new friend today! He's old, but he's still my friend."
Two of the lady residents had to be moved from the room. One woman thought that all of the kids were her own and kept making them sit down next to her and be quiet. She had quite a collection of sullen looking kids going on before the staff were able to explain to her that these children were not hers. She still didn't understand, so she left. Behind her was a woman who apparently only spoke Polish, and so adamantly that she was beginning to scare some of the kids, so she left, too.
Eventually, Michael Jackson made it on the radio and we were all chorused by the kids who sang along absentmindedly while working on their projects. To say that MJ is a huge hit with these kids is an understatement. Of course their was break dancing before the song was over, and that continued for the rest of the afternoon. One resident sat in the corner watching the troupe yelling, clapping and laughing, "Beautiful!! Beautiful!!" She grabbed the hand of the man sitting next to her and pointed in delight.
After enough crafts and dancing for everyone we were escorted to the elevator out. While waiting, we were directed by the Polish woman who was conducting the kids in what I can only imagine was the Polish National Anthem. Unfortunately, we are not well versed in the song and the kids just stood there watching. One kid was so confused that when she threw her arms open wide during the big finish he threw himself into them for a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. The woman only broke for a second to return the gesture before going right on back to her grand finale.
We got back to the bus before the older kids who came on informing us that "WE HAD ICE CREAM!" It was going to be a good ride home.
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*Some of the names are changed for privacy.
**Sorry I can't post any pics of the kids! But take my word for it. They are CUTE!
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