Do you know how batteries are charged?

 I just love standing outside of Perkins waiting for my parents to pull up.  As soon as my dad spots me, he gets this huge grin.  I have come to love this grin more than ever.  My dad has a great smile, one that lights up his entire face (silver lining).

Lunch was the same as last week except for a slight change.  Dad ordered his country fried steak, hash browns, 2 eggs over easy, and a side of pancakes.  I seriously didn’t think I could do another piece of lemon meringue pie. Perkins has the best lemon pie by far, but the thought of eating it 3 weeks in a row didn’t sit well with me.  So, I asked dad if he would like to share a pecan sticky bun.  He said of course, so that was our slight exception for the day.

Dad was quite today, mostly because he didn’t have his hearing aids in.  He explained to me that the batteries died again.  He said he was waiting for his next VA appointment to request a new pair.  Which I am thankful for because he has now stuck the batteries down into his ear canal twice.  Mom has had to take him to the doctor office to have them removed.  There is no rhyme or reason as to why he puts the batteries in his ears.  We think it happens early in the morning before my mom even wakes for the day.  It might be reverting to childhood.  I remember my brother sticking match box wheels up his nose as a kid and even one of my children went through a phase where he stuffed beads in his ears…one time he managed to do it two times in one day!  Is it childhood or just boys???

Dad explained to me that the batteries are hard to get out.  He used his hands to show me how my mom takes a pair of scissors to pry open the battery case.  He said that once she gets them out, he taps the batteries and that is how he recharges them.  I asked him what he meant by tapping them and he banged his hand on the table to show me that he must hit them hard on a solid surface to make them work.  I smiled and thought, hey if that it how he thinks batteries are charged, then so be it.  I told him I would try that method next time a battery died at my house. 

Lunch continued with small talk.  He asked about the boys, asked what my husband was doing today, asked me if I was working today, asked if the boys were home, asked again what my husband was doing today, asked me if the boys were at school, mentioned that he doesn’t like “the man” who “lives” in his home following him everywhere, he mentioned that his wallet was stolen, informed me he wants a safe to keep his stamp collection in, and that he tries to tell my mom how much he loves her and that she is stubborn.  I just smiled and took it all in.  Everyone once in a while I nodded or confirmed that I heard what he said, but mostly just sat there in that booth looking at my dad and feeling blessed to be his daughter.  (Silver lining).