angel's numbers | d.d. [DISCONTINUED]

tweleve

i hadn't realized how bad working can be. well, maybe it was just the job i had that was terrible, but my first experience wasn't the best. i worked as a waiter in a retirement home somewhere around my town, and let's just say it was— depressing as fuck there. everyone always seemed to make retirement homes amazing places for the elderly and that they'd be the happiest they've ever been there.

in actuality, all the elderly hate living there.

it hurt to watch some of the elderly being so depressed about being locked away in what seemed like a jailhouse that they'd mostly lie in bed all day doing absolutely nothing. it wasn't like the staff treated them terribly, heck, they were all sweet to them. but no one wants to be locked away for the last several years of their life and barely see the outside world. it was especially worse when some of them barely had any of their families visit. i could never understand why some families never came to visit them, either. couldn't they have just taken an hour or two out of their day just to stop by and say hello once in awhile?

there had even been a time where one of the elderly tried to jump from the window to just... end it all. i never actually witnessed it, but i heard about it from a couple of nurses that were talking to each other, and it really broke my heart hearing about it. i quite honestly ended up hating the families that sent their grandparents or even their own parents to retirement homes, no matter how nice of a person they were. it just goes to show that they don't care enough to actually take care of them themselves or are just too lazy.

i would've quit working their earlier from how fucking sad it was to be around, i could have even found a job that paid better. but i couldn't. i couldn't after i had told myself that i would try to cheer up some of the elder's moods, even if it was asking them small questions about how their day was or if they were looking for an opponent to versus to a game of checkers or chess. just those simple things seemed to really brighten up their day too, and that always felt good to know. especially since all of the elderly have bright nines floating above their heads, which i had figured out meant something about making their lives better... i think.

"hey, lemme help you out there, ms. bentley." i said, quickly coming over to one of the elderly woman's aid. i had noticed her struggling to get up out of her seat in the common room area, which they had for when the elderly wanted to watch something on the tv or play board games. she had her cane leaning against the small clothed table beside her, but i still noticed that she was having a difficult time. she had been a long time resident in the retirement home from what i know, and she was known as the quiet woman who always were the same vintage 1940s necklace and barely ever took it off.

"oh, thank you, dear." she said just as i linked my arm around hers, letting her use me for support to help herself up.

i smiled softly at her, "it's not a problem, ma'am. are you heading to your room? i'd be happy to help you walk there?" i asked.