Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Meet the Family: Lintilla
There is so much I could tell you about Lintilla, but I'll keep it short for now. She's 4 years older than me. In July of next year, we will have been married 20 years. Yes, we married in the Reagan administration. My Dad, who has never liked Lintilla, gave us six months. My brothers think I stayed with her all these years just to prove him wrong. They're wrong.
She was best friends with my best friend's girlfriend. They got tired of our whining, set us up, and created a Monster.
To tell you the most interesting thing about Lintilla, I'll first have to tell you a few things about me:
First, you have to know that I'm an attention hog. I've been in the music business as a struggling artist for 25 years. I've played before crowds of 5 and crowds of 500. I'm also a layspeaker (the Methodist Church's version of an amateur preacher). I've preached in small churches, and big churches. I'm also a writer, having been published here and there over the years. Everything I've done over the years appears like my main goal in life is to be recognized when Lintilla and I are out in public.
Well, that happens. Restaurants, WalMart, church functions, concerts, everywhere - people walk up to us and say "I know you!"
To Lintilla.
You see, Lintilla is a home hospice caregiver. And she doesn't treat it like a job, but a calling. She's not a nurse, but an aide, which means she takes care of the most basic needs of her patients, doing things many would call "gross". She always has a kind word as she helps people spend their last days in relative comfort and dignity.
If you've had a loved one die of a terminal illness in the Nashville area in the last few years, there's a good chance she's been in your home. Rich, poor, black, white, brown: her caring attitude never changes.
Oh, if you could only see the look in people's EYES as they recognize her! They walk up and hug her like one of the family. Sometimes, it seems like they don't want to let go. They look at me and say, "You've got a fine wife, here".
I know.
She was best friends with my best friend's girlfriend. They got tired of our whining, set us up, and created a Monster.
To tell you the most interesting thing about Lintilla, I'll first have to tell you a few things about me:
First, you have to know that I'm an attention hog. I've been in the music business as a struggling artist for 25 years. I've played before crowds of 5 and crowds of 500. I'm also a layspeaker (the Methodist Church's version of an amateur preacher). I've preached in small churches, and big churches. I'm also a writer, having been published here and there over the years. Everything I've done over the years appears like my main goal in life is to be recognized when Lintilla and I are out in public.
Well, that happens. Restaurants, WalMart, church functions, concerts, everywhere - people walk up to us and say "I know you!"
To Lintilla.
You see, Lintilla is a home hospice caregiver. And she doesn't treat it like a job, but a calling. She's not a nurse, but an aide, which means she takes care of the most basic needs of her patients, doing things many would call "gross". She always has a kind word as she helps people spend their last days in relative comfort and dignity.
If you've had a loved one die of a terminal illness in the Nashville area in the last few years, there's a good chance she's been in your home. Rich, poor, black, white, brown: her caring attitude never changes.
Oh, if you could only see the look in people's EYES as they recognize her! They walk up and hug her like one of the family. Sometimes, it seems like they don't want to let go. They look at me and say, "You've got a fine wife, here".
I know.
// posted by Slartibartfast @ 6:29 AM 
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