Her first dinner at Woodland Home


There she sat. Her first lunch at the new place. Sitting there making small talk in her own dignified way. The other ladies were friendly enough but it seemed surreal, like we were in a mad, crazy movie. The other women had long since given up. They seemed content living in the menagerie that is Woodland Home.

Her first meal was the previous days dinner. We walked in and all eyes were on us. It seemed like we were people from another planet dropping off another inmate. It couldn't have been more uncomfortable. We made a move for the first available table to our right. One of the inmates immediately informed us that that spot was reserved. You've got to be kidding me, I thought!! I wheel her around to another empty spot at the same table and waited for some more inmate instruction but it didn't come, thankfully.

The nice ladies at the table she sat with during that days lunch offered me an empty chair. I grabbed it and thanked them.

I instinctively scan the dining room observing the inmates in their various states of life. A lady with a ton of makeup on walked in with an air about her that seemed strange. She started talking, not necessarily to anyone, just talking. As we are are making small talk the woman with the makeup starts singing. It seems to be an old song that she is expecting others in the room to know as she waves her arms gesturing for them to join in. One or two people half heartedly join her. As they sing a few bars a man at the next table starts booing and telling the woman to shut up. "Turn it down", he says in a tired old voice.

A few minutes later a woman who had had her hand up for a little while needing assistance, swipes her entire meal off her table, everything crashing to the floor.

Her first dinner at Woodland Home.