“Hello?” Caregiver P answered.
“Hi! Is Virginia there?”
P paused, “Well. Yes. Would you like to talk to her?”
“Yes, please.”
“Who is this, please?”
“It’s her granddaughter, Abby.”
“Oh, hi, Abby. It’s [Caregiver P].”
“Hi!”
“I’m just trying to get her up for supper. I went and picked it up for her. Maybe if I tell her you’re on the phone…?”
“Sure! Let’s try it.”
Some muffled noises ensued, then P’s voice explaining I was on the phone, then Maga’s hoarse voice, “Hello?”
“Hi, Maga! It’s Abby!” I tried especially hard for a bright, yellow tone.
“Who is it please?”
“It’s Abby!”
“Who?”
“It’s Abby! Can you hear me?”
“I can hear you.”
“Are you taking a rest?”
“Yes, I’m lying down.”
“Are you feeling sick? Or just tired?”
“I’ll get better sooner or later. Listen, thank you so much for calling. I appreciate it. We’ll talk again soon.”
And that was that. Short, succinct, sleepy. I do hope this brief phone call made her alert enough that her appetite perked up. There’s not much else I can do from this distance…
Abigail Mumford 