Gary's aunt Shirley is 92 years old. She lives alone on the family farm in Illinois, a farm owned by the family for around 150 years. Her two brothers are dead so she is the last of that generation. She never married, so her family is her niece, nephew, great niece and great nephew, and they all live here in Wisconsin. They all make regular pilgrimages to help her with yard work and repairs. Every Wednesday and Sunday Gary's sister Kathe calls her to make sure she is OK.
That is, until last night. Shirley didn't answer the telephone. Everyone knew she was almost stone deaf and that she took naps whenever she felt like it. So Kathe kept trying for a while then quit. She tried again this morning, but there was still no answer.
Kathe went to work and kept trying from there. Then she tried to call Shirley's neighbors to see if they could check on her. No one answered there either.
Kathe called Gary to tell him she was worried and to see if he would keep trying to reach Shirley. He called and let the phone ring 26 times. No answer. I told Gary he had better have the sheriff's department check on the old gal. He hesitated, but I said that's what you pay taxes for. He and Kathe conferred and the decision was made. They made the call.
This afternoon they learned a deputy broke down the door and found Shirley on the floor where she had been for two days. He called the EMTs but she was still able to complain when they said they were taking her to the hospital. The last time she had been in a hospital was when she was born 92 years before. She didn't want to go now. She is a tough old bird and can scare people but not this time. They forced her into the ambulance.
She is now in a hospital bed. Tomorrow morning Gary will be be in Dixon checking on her and taking care of the farm. He will repair the broken door, check on the water pumps, feed the cats. Decisions must be made. He doesn't know when he'll come back. It may be he'll spend much of the winter down there.
So that will be our winter. Me holding down the fort here, him holding down the fort there. And lots of driving between the Seymour and Dixon.
That is, until last night. Shirley didn't answer the telephone. Everyone knew she was almost stone deaf and that she took naps whenever she felt like it. So Kathe kept trying for a while then quit. She tried again this morning, but there was still no answer.
Kathe went to work and kept trying from there. Then she tried to call Shirley's neighbors to see if they could check on her. No one answered there either.
Kathe called Gary to tell him she was worried and to see if he would keep trying to reach Shirley. He called and let the phone ring 26 times. No answer. I told Gary he had better have the sheriff's department check on the old gal. He hesitated, but I said that's what you pay taxes for. He and Kathe conferred and the decision was made. They made the call.
This afternoon they learned a deputy broke down the door and found Shirley on the floor where she had been for two days. He called the EMTs but she was still able to complain when they said they were taking her to the hospital. The last time she had been in a hospital was when she was born 92 years before. She didn't want to go now. She is a tough old bird and can scare people but not this time. They forced her into the ambulance.
She is now in a hospital bed. Tomorrow morning Gary will be be in Dixon checking on her and taking care of the farm. He will repair the broken door, check on the water pumps, feed the cats. Decisions must be made. He doesn't know when he'll come back. It may be he'll spend much of the winter down there.
So that will be our winter. Me holding down the fort here, him holding down the fort there. And lots of driving between the Seymour and Dixon.
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