Home Away from Home

Nana sits alone in her empty home, on the only chair not in the loading truck. Now she is being shoved out of her own home, the only home she’s ever known. Nana’s daughter Dottie walks in, “We must go mom, we only have the U-Haul rented for the day. Here’s your walker, can I take your chair now?” “Yes darling,” sighed nana, “but please let me say goodbye to my dear old house. “Yes, for sure,” smiled Dottie. Nana waited for Dottie to leave and started crying, her home full of love and memories was being taken away from her. That home was the place she came home to every day, good days, and bad days. That home was the home her family came to every Christmas. That home was the place she cooked dinner every night. The old folk's home is not her home. Nana sniffled up her tears and left her home for good, leaving all her memories behind. When nana got outside Dottie helped her get in the truck, they were off. As they drove away nana had her last look at her beautiful Oak trees in her front yard, the last smell of her neighbor’s signature baking. The last cry of her neighbor’s loud toddler. When they got to the storage unit, Dottie got out of the loading truck. Nana watched as her memories got shoved into a storage unit, her rug with many stains was leaving her, so were her home-made curtains. Dottie came back to the truck and started driving to the old folk's home. When they got there Dottie helped nana out of the truck. Nana looked up at a big sign, it read “Eastwood Home for Old Folks.” “Let's go inside,” Dottie said. They met a young teen at the front desk with a name tag that said “Birdy” “Welcome to Eastwood,” Birdy said, "what is your name?” “It's Winnifred,” nana answered. “Alright Winnifred, your room number is 203,” said Birdy Nana walked down the hall into her room and sighed, it was nothing like her warm and cozy home. It was like a hospital room, bare white walls surrounded her, cold dark curtains that blocked out all the light covered the windows, the smell of chemicals and cleaning supplies filled the air with an unwelcoming scent. “The room is great,” lied Dottie, "you settle in, and Frankie will be here tomorrow, she really misses her nana.” “I'm extremely delighted to see my little grandbaby, Frankie,” nana said. Frankie always made nana happy, even in a miserable time like this. “Later," said Dottie. “Goodbye darling," Nana sighed. The next day Frankie came to Eastwood to see nana. “NANA,” Frankie exclaimed, “I'm super-duper thrilled to see you.” “I'm charmed to see you too darling,” said nana. “Do you like it here at Eastwood,” Frankie asked, “the lobby is fantastic.” “Yeah, it's superb,” lied nana. “Is it really?” Frankie asked again. “No Frankie,” cried nana, “I honestly loathe it here at Eastwood.” “Oh, nana that sucks,” said Frankie, “Is there anything, and I mean anything I can do?” “There is nothing you can do darling, I'm stuck here for the rest of my life,” sobbed Nana. “I miss my home, I miss the smell of my neighbor’s baking early in the morning, I miss the look of my beautiful purple walls in my room, I miss the sound of my fan whooshing, I miss the look of my home-made curtains,” nana whimpered. Frankie did not know what to do. But then a lightbulb went off in Frankie’s brain. She gave Nana a massive hug and left Eastwood. She quickly biked home to ask her mother to help her with a dazzling idea. “Mom, you need to help me!” Frankie exclaimed. After Frankie explained her grand idea to her mom, she loved it too and off they went back to Eastwood with a quick stop at Nana’s storage unit. While Nana was winning at bingo at the daily tournament at Eastwood Frankie and Dottie snuck into Nana’s room like spies and commenced the plan. With a bippity boppity boo they were done. Just in the nick of time as Nana walked in as the newly crowned bingo champion. To her surprise her room had been transformed! Bare white walls now were filled with photos of special memories from her life. Her blue striped curtains hung framing the window. The floor that once was empty now was covered with her childhood rug. The cold and unwelcoming bed now looked cozy and warm with her old bedroom quilt. Nana had no words for how happy she was. The photos on the walls now had the memories nana wished to have back. Like the time Frankie got the training wheels off her bike, or when it was Dottie's 40th birthday and her head got smashed into the cake. All her memories were there on the wall. “How do you like it,” Frankie asked. “I don't like it,” nana joked, “I LOVE it darling.” Frankie was relieved that all their hard work wasn’t for nothing. “We’re so thrilled you LOVE it,” Dottie and Frankie exclaimed. “Yes dearies,” nana said, “I realized moving to Eastwood that a house is what gives you shelter in harsh weather, but a home is where the real magic is, I did lose my house but the memories and love that were in my home are still with me.” “Some people never get to experience having a home, I'm just lucky to have had a home for as long as I did.” nana sobbed. Holding back tears nana gave a massive group hug to Frankie and Dottie. “I love you guys,” nana cried.