PHOTO PROMPT © Nancy Richy
The elderly man in the righthand corner made me think of a someone who has dementia. He’s waiting for his little daughter to come out of the library, like she used to. All the while, Susie is sitting beside him, trying to get him to remember who she is. (So sorry to preface! Unfortunately, this just didn’t come across in the writing this week…)
Waiting for Susie
The woman sitting next to me said it’s 2024. I shook my head. “It’s 1965, and I’m waiting for my daughter to come out of the library.”
She nods and smiles—what a jokester!—and says she’ll wait with me.
While we sit, she asks about the building’s architecture—something I’ve always loved—then lets me rant about that awful hippo. “Why’d they put it up and ruin the view?”
She smiles, but seems to have tears in her eyes. I thought she called me Dad once, but it must have been Dan.
Where’s Susie, I wonder? It’s getting late.
As always, many thanks for Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting Friday Fictioneers! Stop over and read a wonderful array of 100-word-fiction pieces based on this photo prompt!
Angela Writes... 
Heartbreaking, Angela. Memories of my mother standing at her bedroom window at 3am waiting for my dad to come home from the war.
Touching and beautifully written.
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Thank you! And thank you for sharing such a moving memory about your parents.
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You are so welcome, Angela.
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touching story. well done.
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Thank you!
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Awww… This is so sad, Angela. And yet, just sitting there and letting her talk is a beautiful thing.
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It is. Dementia is a difficult thing. It must be especially hard on the children who are no longer remembered by the parents who they love. Thank you for your comment, Dale!
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Too many of my friends are or have had parents suffering from Dementia or Alzheimer’s. (In one case, her brother, who is only 61 and has but a day or so left to live had had it since the age 42. Just awful.) It is so very difficult on the family.
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Wow. That must hit especially hard with a sibling, and one who is so young. I have been fortunate not to experience dementia with family, but it is a painful concern.
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Yes. She lost her mother to Alzheimer’s last year. Her father died many years ago as well. She told me she is an orphan in all senses. So sad.
Plus she has her step-father, who has also started dementia, to contend with!
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She’s has/has had an extraordinary amount of weight on her shoulders. I hope she has some other people she can depend on to help <3.
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Her brother died on Saturday. She has her husband and sons as well as her step-children but she has friends like me 🙂
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The kindness of strangers
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Indeed. It’s especially hard when ‘strangers’ are those you used to know and love. Thank you for your comment!
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A poignant and beautiful story, Angela, and told very well.
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Lovely understanding of a terrible situation. Sad, but still a sense of humour comes through. The fortitude of Susie, reflects patience and dedication.
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James, thank you so much for your thoughtful comment!
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I feel for Susie. My Dad had dementia towards the end and it’s really heartbreaking
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It’s one of my fears. That must have been very difficult for you. Thank you, Kevin, for your comment!
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He’s very fortunate to have Susie to lovingly sit with him and just let him be. My dad had dementia, and it’s heartbreaking when our loved ones don’t remember us anymore. A beautiful story, Angela.
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I’m sorry about your dad; I think that would be one of the most difficult things to experience. Thank you, Brenda, for your thoughtful comment!
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Heartbreaking for both of them. Though one will be feeling more than the other, I think. Moving, Angela.
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Sandra, thank you for your insightful comment!
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Oh my, this is so sweet but brought tears to my eyes. ❤️
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Love doesn’t always look the same in all stages of life… Thank you for reading and commenting!
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Heartbreakingly beautiful, Angela. So simply told and yet the story hits home. Susie’s the best.
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Yes, Susie must be heartbroken, but her love comes through in the only way she can reach him at this stage. Thank you for your comment!
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Well-written and heartbreaking. So familiar.
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I didn’t realize until recently just how common this experience is. Thank you for your kind comment!
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Actually I think the preface is unnecessary; the story is clear enough. Poignant is the word I think best describes it.
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This is so touching, and sadly true for so many. My mother, too, was waiting for my father to come take her home… he had died years ago.
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Awww… ❤
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Dementia is so sad, it robs dignity, words fail me,…
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That’s a perfect description. Thank you for your comment.
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Oh my
I have tears
I think you got the idea across in your piece beautifully !
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I’m so glad the piece touched you and that it came across clearly; I wasn’t sure it had. Thank you for your comment, Laurie!
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That’s how it is. You’ve captured dementia perfectly. And she’s responding just right in entering his reality. So sad. Well told.
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Margaret, thank you so much for your kind comment. This situation is a reality for so many people.
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Dear Angela,
Actually, I don’t think you needed the preface. His dementia came across clearly with the tears in the woman’s eyes and the her calling him Dad. Poignant story. Too real.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, I really appreciate your comment. Maybe I should have just trusted the writing instead of second guessing whether it was too subtle!
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Fortunately, I can only imagine either side of this. It’s terrifying and heartbreaking. Well written. You may have gotten away without your preamble. My big hope for AI is that it will discover cures for some of these horrible ailments and diseases.
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Here’s hoping. If AI has a solution for this sort of problem, I may be able to overlook some of the other evils… Thank you for your comment!
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