O.P.'s and Babies

I have a friend that has often professed her love of two very opposite but equally lovable types of human beings: babies and old people. And I think I finally understand what she means.

I mean babies, sure. I can get behind that. They are soft and cuddly and are delighted with basically any thing you do. You can talk about anything you want and they are just happy that you're there to play with.

This September I took a gig as a choir director at a local retirement village. I take Jane with me and there is a rotation of retired nurses that push her stroller up and down the hallways while we rehearse. It's the ideal job for me and Jane gets a major kick out of it.

The very first day we went I could see the joy on the residents' faces when Jane came by their apartments. In about an hour everyone knew Jane by name and I was known as "Jane's mother, the new choir director". Jane is somewhat of a local celebrity around the place.

It's an interesting dynamic during choir rehearsals. I slow everything down in the hopes that my O.P.'s (aka Old People) are able to keep up. I reiterate page and measure numbers four or five times to make sure we are together. And without fail, a man in the front row is always shuffling pages trying to figure out where we are, and yelling "WHAT PAGE ARE WE ON?!" to the man sitting next to him. This same man regularly proclaims, "I'M HUNGRY" during songs. He has also worried aloud that I might "wear out people's pants" by making them practice standing and sitting together. I have heard that he was late for rehearsal last year because he "couldn't find his teeth". Needless to say, I love him.

I have witnessed two yelling matches. One because someone in the back couldn't hear over talking, and another because someone felt as though their seat had been stolen. I just let them self govern. I'm not trying to jump in the middle of two senile 90 year olds. That's just not in my job description.

Each week, after rehearsal, Jane and I have lunch with the chorus officers. There are four ladies, and each comes from a very different background. Chris is from North Jersey and owned a catering business and deli for thirty years with her husband, Frank. Elva raised her children in Germany and is a retired teacher. Gerry, the youngest of the bunch, just finished a music ed degree at a local university and has two grown daughters. Helen has a son that lives nearby, but she wishes she had a daughter because she thinks daughters visit more often.

I love these women. Elva and Chris are my favorite. They remind me most of my grandmothers, who have now passed on. They give me parenting advice and encourage me. They even pay for my lunch. They ask me if I am eating enough and how Jane is doing. They tell me the same three stories each week and they get better every time. They take pride in the chorus and their community. They care deeply about our country and trust in God.

I've realized in the last three months that old people aren't that different from babies. They are usually soft, if not cuddly. They don't care what you do as long as you keep your promises and show up every week. I can talk about anything I want because they only hear about half of it anyway. I. Love. Old. People.

I am so happy that I have these ladies in my life. Chris even sent Jane her first Christmas card! I wish I had a picture of them to share with you, but I have yet to take my camera with me to rehearsal. So please enjoy this holiday shot of Jane with her peeps instead.