The staff at the long term care Facility gathered around one of their prized residents, Mr. Ervin Mc Devitt. Mr. Mc Devitt was alert, oriented and walked very well without assistance. He knew that he was the apple of all the Nurses eyes and he would bask in the attention. The nurses were busily competing to be the one who would choose his outfit. The occasion was to be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania this year. Mr. McDevitt was always present for the celebrating.
The nurses chatted away as they involved themselves in an attempt to come to an agreement on his suit selection. He had an extensive wardrobe, and each suit was of excellent taste. Mr. Mcdevitt could not understand all the fuss. In his opinion choosing an outfit was easy.
”My Mrs. Used to do it. ” He conviently drifted off into loving reminiscing.
“Why my Mrs.” He repeated as he began to speak his memory, in a strong yet softer tone.
“She would lay out my clothes, and they’d be perfect-and she loved it.”
“Do you think that your Mrs. would approve of this outfit” asked Nurse Simone.
The final selection was a charcoal grey suit, a pink shirt, and a grey bow tie and a pink kerchief for his breast pocket.
Nurse Simone repeated the question that he had asked earlier, only this time he spoke a little louder.
”Do you think that the Mrs. would approve of this outfit?”
“The suit’s alright.” He finally responded.
“The Mrs. would approve of that, but a pink shirt?” he asked.
“Where did that come from?’ He asked.
“I’m afraid that the Mrs. would not approve of a pink shirt for her husband.”
“A white shirt will do just fine, and don’t forget the white kerchief.” He added.
The Nurses began scurrying for It was fast approaching the time to leave.
”Now my Nurses No need to be so fussy ‘bout the trousers and the shirt. Besides what I wear is not so important, besides whose gonna see them I see very little and my old classmates see even less” He chuckled.
“This year is like every other year, ‘cept last year I was ninety seven and this year I’m ninety eight. The difference is that I am a year older ain’t that right?” The Nurses added the final touches and then he was ready!
They were extremely pleased with the way he looked. A knockout! He seated himself comfortably in a nearby chair.
A lot of time had been put into preparing, they would now have to rush to arrive at the pickup point which was about a football feel away. Nurse Ramone scurried off and suddenly returned with a wheel chair. She placed the wheelchair alongside the chair that Mr. McDevitt was seated and politely asked him to get into the wheelchair. He looked from the wheelchair to the Nurse. He then looked around him. Is it possible that he did not hear. Nurse Ramone thought, or could it be that he did not understand?
Mr. Mc Devitt quickly answered her thoughts as he pointed to the chair and asked
“What is that? Did someone get hurt?”
Nurse Ramone explained to him that she bought the chair for him so he would not have to walk to the pickup point.
“What!” He exclaimed in a sudden unexpected volume.
“Th.. th.. that” he could not get the words out
“that” he points.
“For me?” He finally found the words.
“A McDevitt in a wheelchair?” he asked in disbelief
“Never!, never!, ” he shouted.
“Why my Daddy would turn over in his grave!’
“He got up from the chair where he sat with an urgency that seemed not fast enough to put distance between he and that wheelchair.
” why I am a McDevitt capital M-c capital D-e-w-i-t-t we are a proud family.
“I can walk! I’ll walk like a McDevitt strong, proud and tall. The nurse had not noticed before how tall he was. They stood speechless as he continued.
“I have not missed my class reunion in twenty years and I won’t miss it this year either!’’ He started to walk in the direction of the pickup point. He stopped Tip his hat and said
“Thank you Nurses thank you very much. You must excuse me now, I have a car to meet. I’m off to my class reunion.”
